Racing along the Jingping Expressway, have you ever noticed the bridge that carries you swiftly towards Pinggu District? This, my friends, is the Jingping Expressway Bridge. It’s more than just concrete and steel. It represents a vital link between the bustling metropolis of Beijing and the serene landscapes surrounding Pinggu. The Jingping Expressway, including this very bridge, officially opened on June 21, 2008. It dramatically reduced travel time between Beijing and Pinggu to about 40 minutes.
The Jingping Expressway Bridge is part of a larger network, the Jingping Expressway, which itself is a section of the larger Jingbin Expressway (S3201). This expressway stretches for 72.83 kilometers and connects to the even larger national Jingcheng Expressway network. The Jingping Expressway was built in phases. The first phase extended from Huanggang Bridge all the way to Miyun Road in Pinggu. The second phase continued from Miyun Road to the border of Beijing and Tianjin at Dacang Houkandao. There’s also a Tianjin section that continues from Dacang Houkandao towards Tianjin’s Baodi District.
As you cross the Jingping Expressway Bridge, look around. The road here has eight lanes in each direction up to the Liuge Bridge. After that, it narrows to four lanes in each direction. Notice the continuous parking lane along the route, a thoughtful feature for emergencies. However, traffic can still be heavy at peak times, especially between Huanggang Bridge and Guantou Bridge within Beijing. The section of the expressway between Liutian Bridge and the Beijing-Tianjin border was originally a toll road. But as of September 8, 2023, it became free to use. However, toll booths remain in place to collect fees for vehicles entering from other sections of the connected expressway network. This bridge and the Jingping Expressway have truly transformed travel in this region. They’ve shortened distances and opened up access to the scenic areas outside of Beijing. They stand as a testament to modern engineering.