City airports link to open this year

Suzhou and Jiaxing city are set to be within one-hour drive from Shanghai's two airports by the end of the year.

The two neighboring city's residents will be able to make it when the A15 and A16 expressways are completed, expected by the end of the year, according to information released from the city's 2009 construction and traffic work meeting yesterday, attended by Vice Mayor Yang Xiong.

It is part of the city's massive package of infrastructure projects, worth about 200 billion yuan (US$29 billion) in the first half of the year. The city government hopes it will help make the World Expo successful and stimulate domestic demand to spur economic growth.

The 78-kilometer A15 Expressway links Pudong International Airport to Jiaxing in Zhejiang Province.

A16 Expressway connects the city's Hongqiao Airport and Suzhou in Jiangsu Province. The city section --- 7.6 kilometers long - connects the existing Suhu Expressway in Jiangsu with the A30 suburban ring expressway in the city.

In addition, capacity of Metro Line 4 will be increased by separating the track it shares with Line 3 between Baoshan Road Station and Shanghai Railway Station. The environmental evaluation is underway.

By the end of this year Metro lines should increase from the current 234 kilometers to cover 350 kilometers. The aim is to have 400 kilometers in operation by next year's World Expo.

Meanwhile, 4 million square meters of affordable housing for low-income families will be constructed in the year and 12 sewage factories will be built in the suburbs.