On June 30, 2022, the Yuli-Qiemo Highway is opened to traffic.
On August 30, 2022, the Yitunbulake-Ruoqiang Expressway is officially opened to traffic.
The project adheres to the principle of "not harming a single desert poplar", and adopts measures such as rerouting and detouring and transplanting the whole plant to protect the ecology of desert poplar forest along the Tarim River. At the same time, the project team has planted grass squares in an area of more than 6.8 million square meters along the 96.8-kilometer highway, and a sand-proof barrier along the expressway, effectively inhibiting the expansion of the desert. By reducing the damage to the environment and soil erosion through enclosure, caution tape, signage and other ways, a life road crossing the Taklamakan Desert is completed.
The 334-km-long Yuli-Qiemo Highway traverses the Taklamakan Desert with a length of about 307 kilometers, and it is the longest desert highway under construction in the world with the largest shifting range of sand dunes, the severest construction conditions, and the greatest construction difficulty. After the opening-to-traffic of the highway, the travel time between Qiemo County and Korla City will be shortened from 12 hours to 6 hours. Therefore, it can effectively improve the local people's travel experience and promote the development of local tourism.