G3013 Kashgar–Irkeshtam Expressway

Kashgar–Irkeshtam Expressway
喀什－伊尔克什坦高速公路 قەشقەر-ئەرکەشتام يۇقىرى سۈرئەتلىك تاشيولى
Kayi Expressway 喀伊高速公路
The Kashgar–Irkeshtam Expressway connects the city of Kashgar with the Irkeshtam border checkpoint, pictured above.
Route information
Auxiliary route of G30
Part of
Length:	213.9 km[1] (132.9 mi)
Existed:	October 2013 – present
Major junctions
East end:	G314 in Artux, Kizilsu
West end:	Kyrgyzstan, A371 A371 Highway in Irkeshtam
Highway system
Expressways National Highways Transport in China ← G3012 G3014 →

The Kashgar–Irkeshtam Expressway (Chinese: 喀什—伊尔克什坦高速公路, Uyghur: قەشقەر-ئەركەشتام يۇقىرى سۈرئەتلىك تاشيولى‎), commonly referred to as the Kayi Expressway (Chinese: 喀伊高速公路) and designated G30₁₃, is a 213.9-kilometre-long roadway (132.9 mi) in the Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang.^[1] It connects the county-level city of Artux,^[2] north of the city of Kashgar, and Irkeshtam, a border checkpoint between China and Kyrgyzstan. The expressway is a spur of the G30 Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway.

Route

The Kashgar–Irkeshtam Expressway begins in the east at the Takuti Bridge of China National Highway 314, in the county-level city of Artux. This section of China National Highway 314 is scheduled to be upgraded to expressway standards and will become part of the G3012 Turpan–Hotan Expressway when complete.^[3] It traverses westward through Ulugqat County, through the village of Ulugqat (also known as Wuqia), which serves as the Chinese immigration checkpoint,^[4] before terminating at the border with Kyrgyzstan at Irkeshtam.

The highway is not built to expressway standards for its entire length. Its length is 213.9 km (132.9 mi), but only 77.4 km (48.1 mi) of that is expressway-grade and the rest is second-grade highway, consisting of 19.5 km (12.1 mi) of newly built roadway and 117 km (73 mi) of upgraded roadway.^[1]

References

1. Kayi Highway will soon be opened to traffic. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013. (Chinese)
2. Google Maps. Artux, Kisilzu, Xinjiang. Cartography by Google Maps. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
3. Construction of Kayi Expressway is projected to be completed by October 2013 (喀伊高速公路项目预计将在2013年10月竣工) 30 March 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013. (Chinese)
4. Irkeshtam Pass. Retrieved 31 December 2013.