On December 25, 2021, Xinjiang's first desert expressway, S21 Altay-Urumqi Expressway, constructed by Xinjiang Transportation Investment (Group) Co., Ltd., was completed and opened to traffic. A 3.5-hour "high-speed direct connection" from Urumqi to the Altay region.

As an important part of the Silk Road skeleton road network, the 342.5-kilometer Awu Expressway will effectively promote regional interconnection and integrated development, which is of great significance to the stability and prosperity of Xinjiang.

This road created the first unmanned construction machinery cluster in the history of many Xinjiang highways, solar settlement observation of high-filled roadbeds, prefabricated steel plate composite girder bridges, and slipform paving construction of water ditches...

The sky is full of yellow sand, the clouds are sheltered from the sun, the wind is whistling, the flying sand and rocks, and the extreme harsh environment cannot stop the pace of the builders. The head of the S21 Awu project headquarters leads the technical backbone to carry dry food and water step by step to the desert hinterland. Advance, out of an exploration route.

In summer, the surface temperature in the desert area reached more than 70 degrees. When the paving operation, the wind and sand blew, and the workers' faces, hands and feet cracked and bleeds.

In winter, the desert is covered with snow up to 30 cm, and the construction machinery will freeze for an hour without starting. The builders fight the scorching heat, snow, and cold to achieve the main line asphalt road penetration in only 11 months.

In addition to the harsh natural environment, builders also face extreme difficulties such as no signal, no water source, and no electricity.

Sometimes there are life and death tests. Vehicles roll over at any time and wind and sand bury the ruts. “In the early stages of construction, several employees were lost in the desert.” Now thinking of the situation at that time, the deputy commander of the first phase of the project, Fuerheti, still feels afraid.

Today, along the Awu highway, you can enjoy the desert, wetland, Danxia and other topography, and you can also see the most distinctive Xinjiang customs, winter fishing in Wulungu Lake, Fuhai fish feast, sandy cross-country, and starry sky. camping……Editor/Ma Xue