Xuchang's Transformation over a Decade: A New Transportation Hub in Henan
The "Xuchang Comprehensive Transportation Development Plan (2010-2020)" has been approved by the city planning committee, marking Xuchang's transformation into a new transportation hub in Henan Province within a decade. The planned network not only connects with national major transportation routes but also links to surrounding cities like Zhengzhou and Luohe.
By 2020, the passenger and freight volumes in our city are expected to reach 100 million passengers and 150 million tons respectively.
Author: Huang Shuangyan
News Source: Xuchang New Network
The competition for regional economic development centers around transportation hubs. Nowadays, wherever there is a transportation hub, it can become a regional economic center. Located in the heart of Central Plains, Xuchang is a key area in Henan's transportation layout, where the Jingguang Railway, Jingzhu Expressway, National Highway 107, and National Highway 311 intersect.
In recent years, the Xuchang Municipal Party Committee and the municipal government have adhered to building transportation hubs as the artery driving regional economic and social development. They have implemented this strategy as a means to achieve Xuchang's leapfrog development, scientifically planning and coordinating plans. By fully utilizing its geographical advantage of being close to Zhengzhou and its relatively complete transportation infrastructure, Xuchang has continuously accelerated its pace in enhancing its status as a transportation hub, step by step making its internal and external transportation networks more interconnected.
On May 21st, the "Xuchang Comprehensive Transportation Development Plan (2010-2020)" passed the review of the municipal planning committee. This blueprint makes Xuchang's transportation framework for the next ten years clear and three-dimensional. Mayor Li Ya pointed out that compiling this plan is of great significance for enhancing Xuchang's comprehensive transportation hub status, improving Xuchang's transportation network system, and accelerating the urbanization process in Xuchang.
Key Points of the Plan:
Ten Years Later - What Goals Will Xuchang's Transportation Achieve?
Located in the heart of Central Plains, Xuchang has an extremely advantageous geographical position, east of Zhoukou, west of Pingdingshan, south of Luohe, and north of the provincial capital Zhengzhou. It is an important transportation hub in Henan Province and the center of the Xinxiang-Zhengzhou-Luohe industrial belt. The Jingguang Railway, Jingzhu Expressway, and National Highway 107 run longitudinally through the entire region, while the Xuchang-Tubo Expressway, Xuchang-Yu Expressway, and National Highway 311 traverse horizontally. This crisscrossing transportation network highlights Xuchang's transportation location advantages.
In 2004, Henan Province determined the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration Development Strategy. This strategy clearly pointed out that Xuchang City is an important node city in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration and also a pivotal city in the "growth triangle" of the southwestern part of the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, consisting of Pingdingshan, Xuchang, and Luohe.
Currently, with adjustments in national policies, Xuchang's transportation development faces unprecedented opportunities; the rapid catch-up and "compression" from surrounding cities also bring severe challenges. Based on existing conditions and combined with the requirements for integrated development of transportation in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, the comprehensive transportation development plan compiled by our city scientifically determines the "top-down, from surface to point" approach: first, guided by spatial and industrial对接with Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Zhoukou, Luohe, Pingdingshan, and Luoyang, focusing on the对接between Zhengzhou and Xuchang, the line network plan will be well done, connecting with national expressways and railways to form a macro-level transportation hub and create a regional transportation center; secondly, through the planning of hubs within the region, effective connections between road-rail and road-air transport modes will be achieved, promoting integrated transportation development; finally, through the road transport industry plan, transportation service guarantees will be provided.
Through a period of development, our city aims to gradually achieve networked transportation infrastructure, efficient transportation services, and institutionalized system guarantees, thereby constructing a comprehensive transportation system that is "capacity sufficient, reasonably laid out, structurally coordinated, smoothly connected, efficiently served, energy-saving, environmentally friendly, scientific, and intelligent." This system will connect with surrounding areas' transportation networks, link with national expressways and railways, cooperate with Xinzheng International Airport for "south collection and north transportation," integrate into the air transportation network, possess greater development advantages compared to surrounding cities such as Luohe, Pingdingshan, and Zhoukou, become a new comprehensive transportation hub in Henan Province, and comprehensively promote the transformation of Xuchang's transportation industry from traditional transportation to modern services.
Key Point Two:
Comprehensive Transportation Channels - "Central Plains Integration, Comprehensive Networking"
External Layout - Integrating 10 Channels
The future comprehensive transportation channel layout of Xuchang will be guided by "Central Plains Integration, Comprehensive Networking," focus on "Zhengzhou-Xuchang Integration, Traffic Nucleus," assist with "Remote Airports, Radiating Southern Henan," and supplement with "One Core Five Groups, Inter-city Rapid; New District Smoothness, Horizontal Optimization."
Externally, apart from existing lines such as the Jingguang Railway, Mengping Railway, Shendan Railway, Pingyu Railway, Jingzhu Expressway, Nanri Expressway, Yongdeng Expressway, Zhengyao Expressway, National Highway 107, National Highway 311, Provincial Highway 103, Provincial Highway 219, Provincial Highway 220, as well as planned lines at the provincial and ministerial levels such as the Jingguang Railway Passenger Dedicated Line, Zhengzhou-Chongqing Railway Passenger Dedicated Line, Airport-Xuchang Intercity Railway, Xuchang-Luohe Intercity Railway, Xuchang-Pingdingshan Intercity Railway, and Anyang-Xinyang First-Class Road, our city will also plan 7 new trunk lines according to the development requirements of Zhengzhou-Xuchang, Xuchang-Luohe, Xuchang-Pingdingshan, Xuchang-Kaifeng, and Xuchang-Luoyang对接.
Subsequently, the 15 longitudinal trunk lines, 8 horizontal trunk lines, 4 oblique trunk lines, 2 high-speed railway passenger dedicated lines, 4 general railways, and 3 intercity railways of Xuchang City will be integrated into 10 channels, forming a spatial layout structure of "five verticals, three horizontals, two radiations."
Internally Smooth - Faster Between Cities
Our city will follow the "one core five groups" pattern, completing the expansion projects of Xuchangda Avenue and Weiwu Avenue, strengthening the connection between Xuchang urban area and Changge and the new Xuchang county town; through the transformation of G311 (to Zhoukou section), strengthening the rapid connection with Yanling; through the widening and transformation of S237, creating a fast channel between Xuchang and Yu; through the transformation of G311 (to Pingdingshan section), ensuring smooth communication with Xiangcheng; with the goal of "new district smoothness, horizontal optimization," planning routes 8, 9, and 10; constructing convenient channels between the new district and Yanling and Yu; through the transformation of S325 and S103, strengthening the rapid connection between various districts and counties, thus making the overall transportation channel layout within Xuchang form a "one vertical three horizontal four radiation" structure.
Key Point Three: 20 Passenger Stations, Daily Capacity to Send 155,000 Passengers
A total of 20 passenger hubs are arranged throughout the city (7 in the main urban area and Xuchang New District), forming a "one main, one sub, two auxiliary" macro layout.
"One Main" refers to the community formed by the main urban area of Xuchang, Xuchang New District, and Changge urban area. Among them, 10 passenger hubs are planned, including 3 comprehensive passenger hubs and 7 universal passenger hubs, with a total design capacity to send 84,000 passengers per day.
Xuchang Passenger Comprehensive Hub Station, Xuchang Central Passenger Station, and Xuchang Lingjing Station are comprehensive hub stations connecting the Jingguang High-Speed Railway Passenger Station, Jingguang Railway Passenger Station, and Zhengzhou-Chongqing High-Speed Railway Passenger Station, respectively, serving as transfer centers in the east, middle, and west; Xuchang South Station, Xuchang West Station, and Xuchang North Station are directional service stations for the main urban area, among which the North Station is co-constructed with the intercity track station of the Airport-Xuchang line and jointly bears the task of external travel for passengers in Xuchang New District together with Xuchang New District Passenger Station and Changge South Station; Xuchang New District Passenger Station serves as the passenger center of Xuchang New District; Changge South Station, Changge East Station, and Changge West Station serve the travel needs of passengers in each functional area of Changge, among which Changge East Station is co-constructed with the intercity track station of the Airport-Xuchang line (within Changge).
"One Sub" refers to the urban area of Yuzhou. Four passenger hubs are planned, namely one comprehensive passenger hub and three universal passenger hubs, with a total design capacity to send 31,000 passengers per day, covering an area of 114,000 square meters. There are two first-class stations and two second-class stations. Among them, the Yuzhou Passenger Comprehensive Hub Station is a comprehensive hub station connecting the Shen-Dan Railway Passenger Station (Yuzhou) and serves as the transfer center of Yuzhou City, while the other three hub stations are directional service stations.
"Two Auxiliary" refers to Yanling County and Xiangcheng County, planning six passenger stations. Among them, Yanling County plans one comprehensive passenger hub station (first-class station) connecting the Shen-Dan Railway Passenger Station (Yanling), two second-class stations serving functional areas, with a designed capacity to send 21,000 passengers per day; Xiangcheng County plans one first-class station, one second-class station, and one third-class station, with a designed capacity to send 19,000 passengers per day, covering an area of 72,000 square meters.
Key Point Four: 14 Freight Hubs, Fully Serving Industrial Clusters
Within the "one main" range, one logistics comprehensive information service center is planned, mainly responsible for freight information and logistical support functions; four freight hubs connected in other ways, including an aviation freight hub connected to aviation, Chengnan Logistics Park connected to the Jingguang Railway Freight Station, Changge Public-Rail Combined Transport Freight Station, and Chengdong Logistics Park connected to the Shen-Dan Railway; four specialized freight hubs, including Zhongpin Logistics Park serving food and cold chain transportation, Changge Logistics Park serving automobile parts and steel trading markets, Electric Power Electronics Industry Logistics Park serving the Central Plains Electrical Valley, and Chengxi Logistics Park serving agricultural products and western regional city distribution. The designed cargo throughput capacity is 12.2 million tons/year, with a planned area of 202.4 hectares.
Within the "one sub" range, two freight hubs are planned, one being the Yuzhou Logistics Park connected to the Yuzhou Railway Freight Station, and the other being the Chinese Herbal Medicine Logistics Park serving local special industries. The designed cargo throughput capacity is 2.4 million tons/year, with a planned area of 40 hectares.
Within the "two auxiliary" range, four freight hubs are planned in total, among which Yanling County plans one Yanling Logistics Park connected to the Yanling Railway Freight Station and one Flower Logistics Park serving premium flower transportation, with a total designed throughput capacity of 1.5 million tons/year and a planned area of 25 hectares; Xiangcheng County plans one Xiangcheng Logistics Park connected to the Xiangcheng Railway Freight Station and one Agricultural Products Logistics Distribution Center serving agricultural product logistics transportation and urban delivery, with a total designed throughput capacity of 1.5 million tons/year.
Key Point Five: Inter-City Buses, Urban-Rural Buses, City Buses - "Three-in-One"
In the future, our city will vigorously promote adjustments in bus passenger transport capacity and optimization of route structures, focusing on building a three-layer bus network system integrating inter-city buses, urban-rural buses, and city buses.
By 2020, the passenger volume and passenger turnover in Xuchang City will reach 100 million passengers and 6.7 billion person-kilometers respectively, while the freight volume and freight turnover will reach 150 million tons and 35.3 billion ton-kilometers respectively; the number of commercial passenger vehicles and freight vehicles will reach 8,920 and 69,000 respectively, basically realizing large-scale, high-grade, and specialized vehicles; the number of taxis in the urban area will reach 1,700, with three operating companies and 1,575 buses.
Inter-city buses to Zhengzhou, Luohe, Pingdingshan, and Kaifeng will be opened externally, and urban-rural buses to Yanling, Yuzhou, Changge, Xiangcheng, and Zhangqiao will be opened first. Then, Xuchang outer ring buses, Xuchang inner ring buses, and Yuzhou loop buses covering key towns will be opened. Inter-city buses, urban-rural buses, and intra-city buses will complete transfer through planned passenger hubs.
Key Point Six: Interactive Connectivity, Building Three "Hour Circles"
"Half-hour Commuting Circle" - Taking inter-city railways, expressways, and railway passenger dedicated lines as the main channels, achieving traffic integration with surrounding cities such as Zhengzhou, Luohe, and Pingdingshan in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, providing convenient services for residents' daily commutes between cities, and achieving half-hour arrival. At the same time, taking the central urban area as the core and relying on inter-city rapid channels, a half-hour commuting circle from the central urban area to the two cities and three counties under its jurisdiction will be constructed, promoting urban-rural integrated development.
"One-hour Metropolitan Circle" - Taking national highways, expressways, inter-city railways, and railway passenger dedicated lines as carriers, achieving one-hour arrival to cities such as Luoyang, Jiaozuo, Xinxiang, and Jiyuan in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, comprehensively promoting the urbanization construction process of the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration.
"Two-hour Economic Circle" - Taking expressways, national highways, trunk railways, railway passenger dedicated lines, inter-city railways, and aviation as carriers, achieving two-hour accessibility from Xuchang to all prefecture-level cities within the province. Relying on fast transportation methods such as aviation and railway passenger dedicated lines, achieving two-hour accessibility from Xuchang to central cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Xi'an, comprehensively strengthening economic interactions with other central cities.