The construction of a large-scale tunneling project under the Yangtze River kicked off Wednesday in east China's Jiangsu Province, the China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd. said on Thursday.

The project is intended to establish a major trans-river road link under the country's longest river, connecting the cities of Nantong and Taicang.

With a designed maximum speed of 100km/h and three lanes in each direction, the expressway will be around 39km long, including 11.2km under the river.

The expressway is scheduled to open to traffic in 2028, and will be a hallmark project adopting sophisticated techniques of shield tunneling, water repellent and fireproofing, said Zhang Di, the chief designer.

After completion, the tunnel will help promote the integrated regional development of the Yangtze River Delta and further improve road networks in the region.