A key expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region began construction on Wednesday in a move to improve the region's road network and serve its economic development.

The 135-km expressway will link Kuytun City to Karamay City. The project, funded by the central government and Xinjiang regional government, will cost 3.87 billion yuan (about 567 million U.S. dollars).

The road is bidirectional with four lanes. It will be completed and put into use in November 2011.

Dai Gongxing, vice chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, said at the groundbreaking ceremony in Kuytun that the expressway, also part of the national expressway network, would improve the regional transport and promote local economic development.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2009)