China has officially opened the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest highway tunnel,

 

China has officially opened the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest highway tunnel, stretching 22 kilometers (13.75 miles) through the Tianshan Mountains. Located on the Urumqi–Yuli Expressway, the tunnel cuts travel time between Urumqi and Korla to about 3.5 hours after five years of construction, according to state media.

 

While smaller than mega projects like the Three Gorges Dam or China’s Belt and Road infrastructure push, the tunnel is a major regional milestone. It set multiple engineering records during construction and highlights China’s continued focus on large-scale, high-impact infrastructure to improve connectivity and economic development in remote regions.