The branch line of Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao was officially opened at 0:00 on March 30, integrating the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Demonstration Zone for Local Economic and Trade Cooperation in Jiaozhou into Qingdao's so-called "half-hour economic circle".

According to local authorities, the branch line, 5,749 meters long and 18.5 meters wide, has four lanes running in each direction.

With a total investment of 918 million yuan ($129.51 million), the branch line is an offshoot of Jiaozhou Bay Bridge and is one of Qingdao's key traffic infrastructure projects.

The branch line of Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao is officially opened on March 30. [Photo/Xinhua]

The line reduces the travel time between the China-SCO demonstration zone and the central urban area of Qingdao to just 15 minutes, said Sun Zhen, executive vice mayor of Jiaozhou.

"The China-SCO demonstration zone is creating a better platform for international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and collaborating in logistics, trade, investment, tourism and culture. The opening of the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge branch line is conducive to the demonstration zone's goal of further attracting talent and improving its logistics," said Xiang Zhiqiang, deputy director of China-SCO demonstration zone.

The T-shaped Jiaozhou Bay Bridge is a 36.48-km-long road bridge in Qingdao. It is designed to provide better connectivity between the two fast-growing industrial regions on either side of Jiaozhou Bay. It was opened to the public on June 30, 2011, shortening the travel time between Qingdao and Huangdao district to around 30 minutes.

The branch line integrates the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Demonstration Zone for Local Economic and Trade Cooperation in Jiaozhou into Qingdao's so-called "half-hour economic circle". [Photo/Xinhua]

The exit of the branch line in Jiaozhou, a county-level city in Qingdao, Shandong province [Photo/Xinhua]