BEIJING, China: Following some four years of construction, China has opened its longest underwater tunnel to vehicle traffic.
The 6.5 mile Taihu tunnel was dug under Lake Taihu in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, some 50 kilometers east of Shanghai.
Officials said the tunnel construction cost about $1.56 billion. Construction began on January 9, 2018.
More than 2 million cubic meters of concrete were used to build the tunnel. It offers vehicles six lanes and is 17.45 meters wide, according to China's official news agency, Xinhua.
Of note, in a bid to prevent drivers from dozing, the tunnel's ceiling contains colorful LED lights.
The tunnel was built as part of the 35 mile Changzhou-Wuxi Highway, which opened on December 30, 2021.
The new expressway was built to provide travelers with an alternative route when journeying between Shanghai and Nanjing, Jiangsu's capital.
