The highways in Linxia county are well-connected in all directions. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

In recent years, Linxia county in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu province, has accelerated the development of a transportation system designed to benefit its residents, injecting strong momentum into rural vitalization.

Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the county has upgraded 74.5 kilometers of provincial highways, 68.2 km of county roads, 52.6 km of township roads, and 216.3 km of village-level roads. Today, all townships in the county are connected by Category IV or higher-grade highways, with all villages achieving 100 percent access to asphalt or cement roads.

"We used to have to take long dirt detours to get to the county town, but now the cement road reaches all the way to our doorstep. It only takes 30 minutes to reach the national or provincial highway and about an hour and a half to get to Lanzhou — it's incredibly convenient!" said Wei Daming, a resident of Beiyuan town.

Public transport services have been upgraded simultaneously. Linxia has actively promoted a "buses to the countryside, rural routes to the city" model, launching 13 urban and inter-county bus routes and 81 rural passenger transport lines, benefiting approximately 450,000 residents.

Smooth transportation links have also driven industrial development. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the county constructed 305 "industrial prosperity roads" totaling 155.4 km, thoroughly integrating transport with cultural tourism, agriculture, and commerce. The improved network not only brings in tourists but also helps local agricultural products reach wider markets.

Linxia county is using its transportation network as a backbone to open a two-way street between people's livelihoods and industrial growth, painting a new picture of rural vitalization.