CHONGQING, Dec. 4 -- An expressway with bridges or tunnels accounting for 91 percent of its sections opened on Monday, linking southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and Shaanxi Province in the northwest.

The 48.7-km expressway connects Wuxi County in Chongqing with Zhenping County in Shaanxi. It is the first direct expressway connecting Chongqing with its northern neighbor Shaanxi.

With 20 bridges and 11 tunnels, it is believed to boast one of the largest proportions of bridges and tunnels among the nation's expressways, making construction "highly challenging," according to Chongqing's traffic bureau.

The new expressway has a designed speed of 80 km/h and is expected to reduce road travel between the two counties from over three hours to within an hour.

Officials also hope the expressway, by linking several scenic spots along its route, will promote regional integration and the development of ecotourism.