On September 22nd, the first cross sea urban railway in China, the Ningbo Xiangshan urban railway (Ningxiang Line), designed by China Railway Construction Fourth Institute, was officially put into operation. The first train raced past the Xiangshan Port Cross Sea Bridge, connecting the central urban area of Ningbo with the Xiangshan Peninsula as a fast commuting channel, marking the official entry of Ningbo and Xiangxiang into a half-hour transportation circle and injecting new momentum into the coordinated development of the southern region of the Ningbo metropolitan area.
The Ningxiang Line starts from Xiaoyangjiang Station in Yinzhou District in the north and ends at Damuwan Station in Xiangshan County in the south. The total length of the line is 61.45 kilometers, with 10 stations along the line, including 2 underground stations and 8 elevated stations. The line adopts 4-car urban A-type trains with a maximum operating speed of 160 kilometers per hour. The fastest travel time from Xiangshan to the central urban area of Ningbo is about 30 minutes.
Among them, the Xiangshan Port Cross Sea Bridge is a controlled project for the entire line and also the largest span ballastless track railway cable-stayed bridge in China. The total length of the bridge is about 8.28 kilometers, with a sea crossing section of 6.2 kilometers and a main navigation span of 688 meters. According to Sun Yinghua, the overall person in charge of China Railway Fourth Academy, in response to world-class engineering challenges such as deformation of large-span flexible bridges and aerodynamic interference in strong wind sea areas, the design team optimized the beam structure. Through multiple rounds of wind tunnel tests and numerical simulation optimization design, the dynamic linear changes of the bridge were accurately controlled at the millimeter level, effectively resisting extreme strong wind environments in sea areas and ensuring the safe and smooth operation of trains.
The highlight of the entire tunnel project is also prominent, with a total length of 28.32 kilometers, integrating various tunnel structures such as shield tunneling, mountain ranges, and open cut box type. It is one of the most complete urban railway projects in China in terms of tunnel section types and construction methods. The construction team has overcome multiple technical challenges such as large-diameter shield tunneling in the upper soft and lower hard composite strata, construction of adjacent existing operating subways, and control of mountain tunnels in the rich water fault zone, ensuring the safe and efficient passage of tunnels.
In addition, adhering to the design concept of "one station, one scenery, and the integration of mountains and seas", the Ningxiang Line deeply explores the regional cultural characteristics. The stations along the line combine local imagery such as salt fields, sails, ancient roads, and waves to create characteristic spaces, making rail transit a mobile window to showcase the mountain and sea culture of southern Ningbo.
After the opening and operation of the Ningxiang Line, the Xiangshan Peninsula will end its history of not being connected to rail transit, further facilitating the travel of people along the line. This is of great significance for promoting the linkage between the central urban area of Ningbo and Xiangshan industries, the integration of culture and tourism, and the coordinated development of urban and rural areas. (Outlook New Era)