The S245 and S240 Highways officially open to traffic. [Photo provided to gogansu.com]

Two new provincial highways, the S245 and S240, officially opened to traffic on Oct 26, connecting Hami (Xinjiang) and Dunhuang (Gansu). These routes reduce the travel distance between the two cities by at least 60 kilometers, adding another major transportation corridor between Xinjiang and Gansu.

The S245 highway runs from Hami in Xinjiang to Fangshan Pass at the Xinjiang-Gansu border, where it connects with the S240 line. The S245 stretches 186.19 kilometers and the S240 highway extends from Fangshan Pass to Dunhuang in Gansu, spanning 164.8 kilometers. These routes also provide better access to Urumqi (Xinjiang), Subei and Aksai (Gansu), and Qinghai province.

According to officials, the simultaneous opening of these highways creates a new transportation channel for "energy transport to the east and goods movement to the west." This will effectively reduce traffic pressure on existing national highways G30 and G312.