The Jingzhang Expressway (京张高速公路, Hanyu Pinyin: Jīngzhāng Gāosù Gōnglù) is a 79.2 kilometers (49.2 miles) expressway in China connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou. It is a part of the Jingda Expressway from central Beijing to Datong, in Shanxi province. The Jingzhang Expressway is built to reduce traffic on the increasingly congested China National Highway 110, which runs from Beijing to Qingtongxia. The construction of it began in 1998 and was completed on November 16, 2002. The Jingzhang Expressway gets its name from the combination of one-character Chinese abbreviations for Beijing and Zhangjiakou (Beijing—Jing, Zhangjiakou—Zhang). The expressway shortened the driving time between Beijing and Zhangjiakou from more than 3 hours to 2 hours. It is of great significance to improve the road network structure in Hebei Province, stimulate the economy along the route, and promote the economic development of Zhangjiakou area. Route description The Jingzhang Expressway is part of the Jingda Expressway and a part of the China National highway system, a network of trunk ways across mainland China. It stretches from the Beijing City Limits Toll Gate to Zhangjiakou, crossing through locations such as the Guanting Reservoir. While the expressway starts in Beijing, the majority of it runs within Hebei province. Basic Route: Badaling Expressway - Donghuayuan - Huailai - Xiahuayuan - Zhangjiakou Currentlly, the entire expressway is complete and open to traffic. History The expressway was created in segments, starting in Hebei. The difficult part was how to get it across the Guanting Reservoir. Previously, traffic was supposed to make a detour, so as not to create a bridge across the reservoir. However, in the end, a bridge across the Guanting Reservoir was built and the expressway's total distance was thus shortened. The Jingzhang Expressway's final segment—that linking it to the Badaling Expressway—was completed in November 2002. As of that moment, traffic could flow directly from Beijing through to Zhangjiakou in the form of a direct expressway. (Previously, traffic entered the expressway bound for Zhangjiakou only at the Tumu toll gate (now disused), from Beijing.) Mega Traffic Jam of October 2004 In October 2002 trucks carrying excessive loads, caused the initial traffic jam that broke down the entire expressway. These trucks were over capacity in their loads mainly supplying coal, due to the winter months approaching. Yet with their trucks at overcapacity, it was one of the main causes for the traffic jam that lasted 56+ hours. Even though this