Hubei Enshi Prefecture's Hefeng County Makes Solid Progress in Illuminating National and Provincial Highways

As night falls and the lights come on, driving back to Hefeng County from Wulong Mountain, as you reach the G351 Chaoshanpo section, you can look down and see the G351 Taixiao Line intersecting with the Yilai Expressway, S245 Balai Line, and X003 Zhangkang Line, creating a magnificent transportation network. Thousands of streetlights stretch out like a glittering galaxy, their shimmering light connecting the urban and rural areas, paving a bright path to revitalization in the night.

In recent years, Hefeng County in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province, has continuously upgraded its transportation infrastructure, using the national and provincial highway illumination project as a key initiative. This has not only strengthened the nighttime safety network but also created a new nighttime landscape where roads and scenery blend seamlessly, and culture and tourism coexist harmoniously.

As the "main arteries" of county development, national and provincial highways such as G351, S245, and S341 serve multiple functions, including freight transport, public transportation, and cultural and tourism connectivity. Previously, the lighting facilities along these highways through towns were outdated and insufficiently bright, hindering traffic efficiency and development potential. To address this, Hefeng County, adhering to a people-centered approach, invested special funds to implement a project to renovate and construct new streetlights along the national and provincial highways through towns. Energy-efficient LED light sources suitable for mountainous road conditions were carefully selected, and their layout was scientifically optimized to achieve full and seamless lighting coverage along the main highways through towns.

To date, thousands of streetlights have been installed and replaced along the county's national and provincial highways through towns. The road surface illumination has been significantly improved in the renovated sections, and road signs and crash barriers have been simultaneously improved, effectively reducing the risk of nighttime traffic accidents. Along the G351 highway from Yanzi Town to Rongmei Town, the winding road is outlined beautifully by lights. The lights stretch and extend along the mountainside, reflecting off the green hills, villages, and tea gardens, creating a picturesque scene where "cars travel on the road, and people stroll through a painting."

This lighting project not only safeguards the safety of travelers but also acts as a catalyst for cultural and tourism integration. Hefeng County, closely adhering to its regional characteristics, uses soft, warm-toned lighting along roads surrounding scenic spots such as Pingshan Canyon, Wulong Mountain Water World, and Jiangpinghe Wharf to maximize the protection of the natural ecology. At key locations like the Lishui River Bridge and Tiaoyukan Bridge, light and shadow technology is used to create nighttime landmarks, turning transportation corridors into mobile windows showcasing Hefeng's image. As night falls, self-driving tourists flock to the area, and guesthouses and farmhouses along the route thrive. The "nighttime economy" has become a new growth point for rural revitalization.

"Now, when I go out at night, the roads are brightly lit. Whether I'm going to town for errands or visiting scenic spots, it's incredibly convenient and reassuring," said Ms. Zhang from Miaowan Village, Rongmei Town, with a smile. Convenient and smooth transportation makes travel more comfortable for residents and allows for a more stable pace of development in the county.

Next, Hefeng County will continue to deepen the maintenance and upgrading of national and provincial highways, integrating elements of Tujia culture and revolutionary history into its cultural tourism development plan, promoting the deep integration of transportation construction with industrial development and cultural tourism prosperity. Using lights as a pen and roads as paper, the county will continue to polish its reputation as a "land of health and wellness, a picturesque Hefeng," illuminating the path to prosperity and happiness for its residents and injecting continuous light and strength into the county's high-quality development.