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Airport ExpresswayThe Airport Expressway (机场高速公路, Hanyu Pinyin: Jīchǎng Gāos Gōngl) is an expressway in Beijing, China, which links central Beijing to the Beijing Capital International Airport. It is just under 20 km in length. Opened in 1993, the expressway links Sanyuanqiao on the northeastern 3rd Ring Road to Beijing Airport. The Airport Expressway is named after Beijing Airport. Route The Airport Expressway runs entirely within the confines of the municipality of Beijing. Basic Route: Beijing (Sanyuanqiao - Siyuan - Beigao - Xiaotianzu - Beijing Capital International Airport) Status: The entire expressway is complete. History The expressway opened on September 14, 1993, following a year-long construction effort which began on July 2, 1992. Previously, all traffic used the old Airport Road, which was tested to the limit in the early 1990s. This expressway has slashed driving time to the airport from the previous hour (using the old airport road) to just around 15 minutes. It is convenient and traffic is usually smooth. Portions under Construction or Projection Extension into the 2nd Ring Road A variant of the expressway will be extended into the 2nd Ring Road near Dongzhimen, at the north-eastern tip of the 2nd Ring Road. This 2.5 kilometre stretch of road is to be completed in 2004. Northern Approach Route Further approach routes to the airport, most, if not all of them in the form of expressways, are on the drawing board. One of these has actually begun work, connecting neighbouring Jingcheng Expressway with the northern part of the airport, to form a northern approach route. This is the Northern Airport Line (Hanyu Pinyin: Jichang Beixian) and will shortly begin constrution. It will commence at Lutuan, just over halfway between the 5th Ring Road and the 6th Ring Road, on the Jingcheng Expressway. It will be a short 11 kilometres and connect with a projected airport ring road. This is expected to be completed in 2005. The Northern Approach Route is important because the current Airport Expressway is beginning to fill up with traffic. While traffic jams on the expresssway are infrequent, the frequent usage of the expressway and the incessant influx of visitors and users of the airport are factors influencing the construction of the Northern Approach Route. At rare times, the total vehicle flow on the Airport Expressway overwhelmes the maximum projected limit. In future, drivers can choose between the central approach route (Sanyuanqiao - Northeastern 4th Ring Road at Siyuan - Dashanzi - Xiaotianzu - Beijng Airport) or the northern approach route (Taiyanggong on the Northeastern 3rd Ring Road - Jingcheng Expressway through Lutuan - Beijing Airport). 2nd Airport Expressway Also mentioned is the concept of a wholly new, second airport expressway, which would start from eastern Beijing. A second airport expressway will stretch 23 kilometres. This second airport expressway would run between the eastern 5th Ring Road and the eastern 6th Ring Road, starting up north from the airport all the way through to the second Jingjin Expressway (bound for Tianjin). Road Conditions Speed Limit Leftmost lane: minimum 100 km/h, maximum 120 km/h. Other lanes: minimum 60 - 80 km/h, maximum 100 km/h. Tolls CNY 0.5/km as of 5th Ring Road intersection for sections south of the toll gate. Entire stretch from Sanyuanqiao to Beijing Capital International Airport costs CNY 10 (price for small passenger cars).
Note: For frequent users, a sensor-style Express Transit Card is available. Lanes 6 lanes (3 up, 3 down) uniformly. Surface Conditions Good. Traffic Fair to good. No serious jams occur on the expressway. Major Exits NE 3rd Ring Road, NE 4th Ring Road, Dashanzi, NE 5th Ring Road, Beigao, Xiaotianzu, Beijing Capital International Airport Service Areas None on the expressway. The Weigou exit has a filling station close to it (on the way back to Beijing). Connections Ring Roads of Beijing: Connects with the NE 3rd Ring Road at Sanyuanqiao, the NE 4th Ring Road at Siyuan, and the NE 5th Ring Road at Wuyuan Bridge. List of Exits Listed are exits heading northeast as of Beijing (3rd Ring Road)
Symbols: ↗ = exit, ⇆ = main interchange; → = only when heading for the airport; ← = only when heading for central Beijing; ↘ = exit only; ¥ = central toll gate
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