Six major expressways costing 6 billion yuan ($874 million) will mark another record-breaking year for Zhanjiang in infrastructure improvements.

Last year, Zhanjiang had four expressway projects underway, the most among prefecture-level cities in Guangdong province. The city in the west of the province was ranked fourth based on provincial construction assessment results, which meant that Zhanjiang had made the top five three years in a row.

Zhanjiang will continue to add expressways to its transport system in 2017. [Photo by Zheng Feng/gdzjdaily.com]

In 2017, six expressways will either continue or start construction in and around Zhanjiang, with the goal of building a transportation hub in the Beibu Gulf.

At a cost of 3.5 billion yuan, an important section of the Yunfu-Zhanjiang Expressway will run across Zhanjiang and open a new exit to the east. The road will be about 67 kilometers long, and take the city's total highway length to 305 kilometers.

The Yunfu-Zhanjiang Expressway is under construction. [Photo by Wu Zhiheng/Liu Jicheng]

The airport expressway in Wuchuan, a branch of the Shantou-Zhanjiang Expressway, and the ring road on Nansan Island are expected to start construction before the end of this year.

Three other projects that will connect Zhanjiang with Xuwen Port and Leizhou, and Yulin in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region are awaiting further examination and approval.