The Shugang Highway stretching the length of Zhangjiagang opens to traffic on Nov 16. [Photo from WeChat account zjgcitynews]

Commuters in Zhangjiagang will now be able to drive from downtown to the Bonded Zone in just ten minutes, as the Shugang Highway connecting the two areas opened on Nov 16.

The first expressway ever to connect to the Bonded Zone, the Shugang Highway stretches 19.5 kilometers across the length of the port city from the Bonded Zone in the north to Yanjiang Highway in the south.

Vehicles can fly down the two-way, six-lane highway at speeds of up to 120 km per hour.

Construction on the highly anticipated infrastructure project began in 2013, and the entire project required investment of some three billion yuan ($ 437 million).

The new road will not only offer more convenience to Zhangjiagang's office workers, but will also make it much easier for logistics firms to carry cargo from the Bonded Zone, which will greatly improve the zone's transportation efficiency.

Four toll stations, namely West Zhangjiagang, Shangang, Chenyang and the Bonded Zone, will divide the highway.

Vehicles with seven seats or fewer can travel on the road at 0.55 yuan per km, while trucks will be charged 0.09 yuan per km and metric ton of cargo.

Drivers with an Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) card can enjoy a discount of five percent.

Drivers with an ETC card can enjoy a discount of five percent. [Photo from WeChat account zjgdaily]