China National Highway 109 connects
Beijing with
Lhasa. It runs westwards from Beijing via
Datong,
Yinchuan and
Xining to
Golmud before turning southwest to Lhasa. The portion of the highway from
Xining to
Lhasa is known as the Qinghai-Tibet Highway.[1] The total length of the route is 3,901 km.
Fushi Road or Jinglan Road forms the stretch of G109 in Beijing, as it begins from
Fuchengmen and traverses through
Shijingshan. The majority of the Beijing section is in
Mentougou District.
The section of the highway within western
Qinghai and
Tibet, from
Golmud to
Lhasa, is paralleled by the
Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The highway reaches its highest elevation of 5,231 meters (17,162 ft) at
Tanggula Pass. Construction of this section started on 11 May 1954.[2]
"Tasked with carrying upwards of 85 per cent of goods in and out of Tibet, the Qinghai-Tibet Highway has been dubbed the "Lifeline of Tibet." ... Since it was opened to traffic in 1954, the central government has spent nearly 3 billion yuan (US$362 million) on three major overhauls. It was asphalted in 1985."[3]
The route also holds importance as one of the main coal transport routes in southern
Inner Mongolia.[4]
^Gyaco, Former director of the Communications Commission of the Tibet Autonomous Region (2005-01-05).
"Roads of change revitalize Tibet". Asia Africa Intelligence Wire, Business Daily Update. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
China National Highway 112 runs around Beijing
Before 2013, Mainland China observed National Highway 228 as Taiwan Ring, composed of several National Expressway (Republic of China) and Taiwan provincial highways, this designation is not recognized by Republic of China (Taiwan). This observation was eventually dropped in new National Highway plans, replaced by Dandong-Dongxing Highway.
A extension plan of the highway system was announced in 2013, including extension of existing highways(101-112, 201-227, 301-330) and new highways (North-South 228-248, East-West 331-361, Connections 501-581). Only small portions of them needs to be constructed from scratch; most of the new highways would be upgraded provincial/county highways.
Another extension plan was announced in 2022, including new small purpose connection highways (601-701).