Wu Chungeng, deputy director of the Ministry of Transport of the Tibet Autonomous Region, was very busy recently. From Lhasa to Hefei, Anhui, he completed the on-site exchanges for the development of ordinary highways. He also flew to Beijing.

Very busy people in Tibet are not only traffic. On June 20 last year, the “National Highway Network Planning (2013-2030)” (the “Planning”) was formally announced. The size of an ordinary national road network was increased from 106,000 to 265,000 kilometers. All localities also responded to the situation and successively carried out the adjustment of provincial road network planning. China’s common state road once again ushered in a critical period of development.

Opportunities and challenges coexist. On September 23, at the national conference to promote the development of ordinary roads, the relevant persons in charge of the Ministry of Transport, provincial (autonomous regions and municipalities) Transportation Department (Commission) and highway management departments jointly discussed the development of China’s ordinary highways. The status quo, the problems faced, the adjustments made, and the exchange of experience in solving difficult problems.

Planning and patching board

As of the end of 2013, the proportion of medium- and higher-grade roads in China's ordinary national roads accounted for 64% of the total, and the proportion of second-level and higher mileages in ordinary national highways in the eastern and central regions reached 87% and 80% respectively. With the exception of some sections of densely populated urban areas, the common national highways in most regions are in relatively smooth running conditions, and their service levels have improved significantly compared with the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” period.

Although the achievements are remarkable, compared with the highways and rural roads, the pace of advancement of China's common national roads still lags behind and has become a weak link in the road networks of many provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities). Therefore, it is imperative to speed up the completion of this “short board”, improve the functions of the road network, and ensure the coordinated development of the “two highway systems”.

The "Plan" has determined the national highway network layout plan with a total scale of 401,000 kilometers, and the average national road network has been adjusted to 265,000 kilometers.

"After the publication of the "Plan", the pace of construction of ordinary roads in Gansu was greatly promoted." Wang Fanji, deputy director of the Gansu Provincial Department of Transportation and Communications, told the China Communications News Network reporter that Gansu had timely adjusted the provincial road network plan and tentatively planned a total scale of nearly two 10,000 kilometers, of which 17,000 kilometers of general provincial highway, and aimed at the provincial township road goal. At the same time, Gansu speeded up the construction of a hierarchically responsible system, and initially determined that the province is responsible for the construction of national expressways and ordinary national roads. The municipal and provincial people's government is responsible for the construction of local highways and ordinary provincial highways. At present, Gansu has achieved the goal of the county-level secondary highway. This year, the province's main highways are under construction at a scale of 3,200 kilometers and will be started more than 2,000 kilometers in the next year to meet the needs of the province's economic and social development.

The development of common provinces in other provinces has also been re-arranged. Teng Hongwei, director of the Chongqing Municipal Transportation Commission, told the China Traffic News Network reporter that in Chongqing, the national highway has been adjusted from 1300 kilometers to more than 5,000 kilometers, and the provincial road has been adjusted from 2000 kilometers to 6800 kilometers.

A series of planning adjustments have made the local transportation departments fully confident of the development of common provincial highways, but problems have also arisen. Problems such as funds, land, and approval have become a big mountain in front of traffic people. In order to develop problems, it is necessary to “overtake the mountains”.

Solving fund problems

“Where did the money come from?” was the topic most discussed by delegates at the on-site exchange meeting.

After the reform of refined oil prices and taxes and the gradual and orderly cancellation of the government’s recharging of second-grade highway tolls, the main channels of common-country provincial financing have been significantly affected. In 2011, the General Office of the State Council issued No. 22 document, proposing that it is necessary to improve the general highway investment and financing policies and establish a public finance-based investment and financing mechanism. However, due to various factors, these reform measures have not been put in place. The development of provincial roads in ordinary countries lacks a stable source of funds and faces the dual pressure of lack of funds for construction and maintenance.

Since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Transport has focused on the reform of the highway investment and financing system, the reform of the construction management system, and the reform of the maintenance and management system. It has carried out the revision of the Regulations on the Administration of Toll Roads and studied and drafted the report on the strengthening of highway maintenance management submitted to the State Council. opinion". All these reforms involve the development of provincial roads in ordinary countries.

Local reforms are also in progress.

Mei Jin, director of the Anhui Provincial Department of Transportation, said that Anhui insists on government-led and mainly uses fiscal funds to solve ordinary highway investment problems. The provincial government allocates 1.5 billion yuan of funds each year, and the central government issues local bonds for not less than 3 billion yuan each year for three consecutive years. All municipalities are allocated to the construction of common provincial highways; the local finances are arranged every year in the city's general budget. 2% of the funds and 5% of the gross income from land transfer are used for the construction of provincial roads in common countries.

Liu Yang, deputy director of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Transportation and Communications, told the China Communications News Network reporter that in addition to establishing a financing mechanism based on public finances, clear responsibilities at all levels of government, and matching financial resources and powers, they also adopted funds for construction and investment promotion. Investment, bank loans, land mobilization, taxation, advance payment, etc. are used to solve the fund raising problem.

According to China Transport News, in the next step, it actively seeks funds and policies from the provincial government, increases the financial input to the construction of provincial roads in ordinary countries, and establishes a long-term mechanism for public financial investment for ordinary road development as soon as possible. It is the direction of efforts everywhere. At the same time, all localities will actively explore market-oriented financing methods that meet the common road public welfare and innovate the financing model.

Grasp the rhythm to local conditions

The China Traffic News reporter learned that the proportion of the 160,000 kilometers of common national roads newly added to the "Plan" is only 57%, and there are 44,000 kilometers of 4th grade, equal or no road sections, and some provinces. The "bottleneck" road section has not yet been opened; some ordinary state roads have been heavily urbanized by road sections, service facilities and security facilities have lagged behind, emergency rescue systems are still incomplete, travel information services are not perfect, and the road environment has yet to be improved. How to determine the construction standards for the province (autonomous regions and municipalities), make rational use of land, and protect the natural environment are issues that need to be solved urgently in various regions.

Zhao Ping, deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Transportation, said that in the transformation of ordinary highways in Hunan, facing the different economic development needs of cities and counties, the newly rebuilt road sections are located in mountainous areas, and the environment is vulnerable, the Provincial Communications Department has proposed four standards. - Walking along the old road, basic standards, friendly environment, and no less security. Although simple, the effect is significant.

The development of ordinary roads in Shandong has its own particularities. Since the start was earlier and the construction period of ordinary roads has passed, the adjustment in the "planning" is not great. “One-sixth of the country's high-grade highways are in Shandong.” Zhang Chuanting, director of the Shandong Provincial Department of Transportation, said that this is a result and a pressure. With the natural aging of roads and the increasing public demand for travel, Shandong’s ordinary Highway upgrading and maintenance tasks are very onerous. The Shandong transportation department took daily maintenance, road environment improvement, and upgrading of the first-class road safety facilities as the focus of work, effectively improving the travel comfort and safety factor of ordinary people.

Through typical driving, Guangdong will increase the level of ordinary roads. Yang Xiping, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Transportation, said that the establishment of civilized demonstration roads such as 205 National Highway, 106 National Highway, and 321 Provincial Highway will be the construction of the province’s common national highways from road construction, afforestation and beautification to information release to security projects. The renovation provided excellent samples.

Wu Chungeng said that the introduction of "Several Opinions on Further Promoting Scientific Development of Transport in Tibet" has become another opportunity for the development of ordinary highways in Tibet. They will further improve the disease remediation project, black engineering, and provincial reconstruction projects of ordinary roads. Provides assistance for the development of transportation in Tibet.

With the opportunity of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integrated development, Hebei's general highway construction has been listed as the first project to launch. Yang Guohua, deputy director of the Hebei Provincial Department of Transportation, told the China Traffic News Network reporter that they will actively work with Beijing, Tianjin and other places to eliminate "bottleneck" road sections and provincial "breakaway roads."

The local transportation agencies at all levels have adapted to local conditions and have implemented the “four traffic” development requirements throughout the development process of common national highways, further deepening the reform of the highway maintenance management system, and endeavoring to build “smooth running, good road conditions, complete functions, and high quality services. The national highway network of road safety and road harmonization will effectively improve the comprehensive services and support capabilities of the provincial highways of ordinary countries.