The reporter learned from yesterday's Ningbo Transportation Development and Railway Construction Leading Group meeting that this year the city plans to complete 30 billion yuan in transportation fixed asset investment, of which infrastructure construction investment is 26 billion yuan. From January to June, 15.33 billion yuan in transportation fixed asset investment was completed, a year-on-year increase of 11.3%. In the first half of the year, 19 major projects started construction, 67 projects under construction were accelerated, and 47 preliminary projects were solidly advanced. In the second half of the year, 30 new major projects will start construction. The relevant person in charge stated that the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway, known as the city's "No. 1 Project," strives to start construction during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period and will launch a feasibility study within the year.
　　Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway to Launch Feasibility Study Within the Year
　　Currently, Ningbo is focusing on the preliminary work of 47 major projects, with a key breakthrough being the city's "No. 1 Project," the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway. Under the leadership of the project team, two task forces—one for investment and financing models and one for planning and technical solutions—have been formed to jointly tackle difficulties with national research institutions.
　　The reporter learned that this year the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway was included in the municipal party committee's "Big Foot Walking the Front Line, Small Team Breaking Through Difficulties" campaign. Ningbo's main leaders went to China Railway Corporation to discuss acceleration matters, mainly focusing on how to accelerate the construction of the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway project, and also exchanged views on the construction of the Jinhua-Ningbo Railway and other projects. China Railway Corporation responded positively, stating that the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway project is very important and should be accelerated.
　　According to the current plan, the project will advance the pre-feasibility stage internal review next month; in September, the investment and financing model study will be completed, and a road-local cooperation agreement will be signed; from October to November, the pre-feasibility report and review will be completed; in December, the feasibility study will be launched. The feasibility study is an important step before construction starts, marking the transition of a project from conceptual planning to the actual engineering construction stage.
　　The Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway has a total length of about 125 kilometers, including 18 kilometers across the sea. A cross-sea railway bridge will be built. The project strives to start construction during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period. After opening to traffic, Ningbo and Shanghai will form a true "one-hour transportation circle."
　　According to information released by China Railway Construction Corporation, this railway will connect Jiaxing South to Ningbo, cross Hangzhou Bay, and be part of the coastal high-speed railway corridor. Once completed, it will become one of the world's largest cross-sea railway bridge projects in terms of length and scale.
　　Ningbo's Second Round Intercity Railway Plan to be Completed This Year
　　The reporter also learned from the meeting that the main goals for railway construction in the second half of the year have been determined: the Ningbo-Jinhua Railway and the EMU depot will start construction, more than half of the offline works of the Chuanshan Port Railway will be completed, and the feasibility study review of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Railway will be completed.
　　Last month, the Ningbo-Yuyao intercity railway (urban train) opened, greatly facilitating travel between the two places. Relevant sources said that the relevant departments are currently organizing the compilation of the Ningbo intercity railway network plan to further clarify the overall network layout. At the same time, this year the second round construction plan for Ningbo's intercity railways will be completed, mainly including projects such as the Ningbo-Xiangshan and Meishan intercity railways, and strive to submit them to the National Development and Reform Commission for approval.
　　In addition, Ningbo this year will also accelerate the planning of the Hangzhou-Ningbo and Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou intercity railways, and promote the construction of intra-city intercity railways to Cixi, Yuyao, Ninghai, and Xiangshan.
　　In other transportation construction areas, in the first half of this year, the Sanmen Bay Bridge and its connecting lines under construction completed an investment of more than 1 billion yuan; the international mail exchange station function was officially opened, realizing direct outbound transport of international mail between Ningbo and overseas; the multi-purpose terminal in Beilun Port Area passed completion acceptance, with a total project investment of 540 million yuan.
　　Three More Expressways to Start Construction Within the Year
　　The relevant person in charge stated that, on the basis of 19 projects starting in the first half of the year, Ningbo will start 30 new major projects in the second half, among which the Ningbo section phase I of the Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway double line, the Xiangshan Bay Port Expressway, and the Shi Pu connection line of the expressway are all accelerating project progress and will start construction by the end of the year.
　　The much-anticipated Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway double line will become another expressway corridor between Ningbo and Hangzhou. The Ningbo section has a total length of 55 kilometers, divided into east and west sections, with a design speed of 120 km/h and a standard of two-way six lanes. The east section starts from Weihai Road in Zhenhai District, crosses the Jintang Bridge, diagonally passes through the Zhenhai Niluoshan reclamation area, then turns northwest into Cixi territory, passes through the Cixi Binhai Economic Development Zone and Modern Agricultural Development Zone, and connects to the south bank connection line of the Hangzhou Bay Bridge on the north side of Fuhai Town. The east section is 40 kilometers long and has 7 interchanges: Weihai, Binhai, Xiepu, Longshan, Cidong, Fuhai, and Xindong. The west section starts at Andong, passes through Andong Town and Zhouxiang Town in Cixi, and ends at Xiaocaoe Town in Yuyao City, connecting to the Cixi-Yuyao Expressway. This section is 15.315 kilometers long and has 3 interchanges: Andong, Andong West, and Xiaocaoe. According to the timetable, the PPP bidding for the Ningbo section phase I of the Hangzhou-Ningbo double line will be completed by the end of the month, the feasibility study approval will be completed in September, the preliminary design approval will be completed in December, and construction will start by the end of the year.
　　In addition to the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo Railway, there are also 6 expressway projects in the preliminary work of major projects, including the Ningbo section phase II of the Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway double line and the Yuci Central Connection Line of the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, which will continue to deepen pre-feasibility and feasibility studies. The Ningbo section of the Liuheng Highway Bridge will continue to cooperate with relevant departments in preliminary work.