Colossal Changes in the Transportation Hub

High-speed trains ready to depart from Wuhan武漢動車段高鐵和動車“萬艦待發”

Road building is the best record of the great changes and rapid development of transportation that China has witnessed in the last century.In 1957,the construction of Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge was completed,linking up China’s north-south land transportation arteries.In 1991,the 70.3-kilometer-long Wuhan-Huangshi Expressway was finished and opened to traffic,marking a historical breakthrough in Hubei’s highway construction.

Today,the total mileages of provincial highways,roads in rural areas,and high-grade waterways have reached 289,000,254,000,and 6,166 kilometers respectively.Roads are connected to every village and villager group,and high-speed rails run throughout the whole province in all directions.Inland rivers and the sea are interconnected by waterway shipment routes which enable thousands of containers to move through the province to the world.Airports have been built in key cities and scenic spots,with direct flights covering all continents.The three-dimensional pattern of land-sea-air transportation in Hubei has been formed,and Hubei transportation is developing into a “crossroads of the nation.”

In this province encompassing thousands of lakes,the routes and navigation courses are now interwoven,roads and avenues are crisscrossed,bridges and tunnels are competing in splendor,and beautiful cities are linked together,combining to form a strong metropolitan vibe.

一條路，演繹著交通的變遷和發展。1957年武漢長江大橋飛架南北，打通了中國南北交通大動脈；1991年，全長70.3 公里的武黃高速建成通車，宣告湖北高速公路實現零的突破。

如今，湖北省公路總里程、農村公路總里程、高等級航道總里程分別達到28.9 萬公里、25.4 萬公里、6166 公里；馬路連通了每一個村組，高鐵東西南北全方位貫通全境，航運走進千箱時代，實現江海互通，重點城市和景區都修建了機場，國際航班直通五洲四海，湖北陸海空聯運的立體格局已經形成，湖北交通正在發展成為“祖國立交橋”。

千湖之省，航線如織，大道穿梭，橋隧爭艷，錦城相連，現代氣息濃郁。

An attendant chatting with passengers happily in the VIP waiting room.(Photo by Ke Hao)VIP 候車室，乘務員與乘客開心聊天。（柯皓 攝）

Passengers taking photos in front of the Xiangyang Railway Station.(Photo by Ke Hao and Qian Jicheng)乘客在襄陽站前拍照留念。（柯皓 潛繼承 攝）

Opening of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge on October 15,1957.1957年10月15日，武漢長江大橋建成通車。

An aerial view of Yangluo New Port in Wuhan.Wuhan has sped up its construction of a shipping center in the middle reaches along the Yangtze River.(Photo by Xiao Jinsong)武漢新港陽邏集裝箱港區。武漢加快推進長江中游航運中心建設。(肖勁松 攝）

Debut of “Hanhai No.1” on November 16,2018.The giant ship fully loaded with 1,140 containers sailed directly to the East China Sea,marking a milestone in Wuhan’s shipping industry with a carrying capacity of “1,000+ containers.”2018年11月16日“漢海1 號”長江巨輪首航，滿載1140 個集裝箱駛向東海，標志著武漢航運進入“千箱時代”。

Xianghe Coal Wharf,a busy wharf in Hanyang where ships were crowded on the riverbank opposite Hankou,at the beginning of the 20th century.20 世紀初漢陽襄河煤碼頭，帆檣林立的對岸是繁忙的漢口。

In the 1990s,on the tarmac of South Lake Airport,passengers getting off the plane,luggage in tow.20 世紀90年代，南湖機場停機坪，人們下飛機后，拖著行李往外走。

Today’s Wuhan Tianhe Airport如今的武漢天河機場