On October 27, a reporter learned from Shudao Group that at 12:00 noon that day, the Ganggunmate Grand Bridge in the Aba section of the Jiuma Expressway (Jiuquan-Markang Expressway) from Jiuzhi, Qinghai to Markang, Sichuan achieved half-width completion. This is also the first bridge on the entire line to achieve half-width completion, marking a further acceleration of project construction.

The Ganggunmate Grand Bridge, with a total length of 1,623 meters, is one of the controlling projects of the 50-kilometer Aba section. The bridge is characterized by a long beam and slab transport route, large bridge span, high safety risk, large construction volume, and high construction difficulty.

At 11:00 a.m. on October 27, the Ganggunmate Grand Bridge began erecting the last beam of the right carriageway, and one hour later the erection was successful, marking the half-width completion of the Ganggunmate Grand Bridge. This is the first extra-large bridge on the entire Jiuma Expressway to complete half-width beam and slab erection, laying the foundation for achieving the goal of basically shaping the 50-kilometer Aba section by the end of this year.

The 50-kilometer Aba section of the Jiuma Expressway starts at the Sichuan-Qinghai border and ends at the Aba interchange, with an average altitude of 3,550 meters. It has two interchanges, one parking area, and one service area. This section is planned to basically take shape by the end of 2021 and to be completed and opened to traffic in 2022, belonging to the first section to open.

The Jiuma Expressway is an important part of the Delingha-Markang Expressway, a connecting line of the G6 Beijing-Lhasa Expressway, and is also Sichuan's first expressway corridor out of the province in the northwest direction. The route connects north to the already-built Huashixia-Jiuzhi Expressway and south to the Wenchuan-Markang Expressway, with a total length of 219 kilometers, a bridge-tunnel ratio of 42%, and two-way four lanes. The project is invested in and constructed by Shudao Group, fully started in October 2020, with a planned construction period of 5 years.

The Jiuma Expressway is an important corridor connecting the Chengdu Plain Economic Zone, Aba Prefecture, and Qinghai Province. After the entire line is completed and opened to traffic, starting from the Chengdu Ring Expressway, it will take only 5.5 hours to reach the Sichuan-Qinghai provincial border, shortening the current travel time by one-third, and will greatly improve transportation conditions in Aba Prefecture.

In addition, the Jiuma Expressway will vigorously promote the development of high-quality tourism resources along the route, and is of great significance to building all-for-one tourism in Aba Prefecture, the Northwest Sichuan Ecological Demonstration Zone, and promoting leapfrog economic and social development in the region.