The Shenda Expressway is a 400 km expressway that connects Shenyang

Shenyang

Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...

 and Dalian

Dalian

Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...

, two prefecture-level cites located in Liaoning

Liaoning

' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...

 province of China.

History

The highway was built between 1984 and 1990. The name combines the first character of each of the 2 cities, Shen and Da, making it the Shenda highway. It translates literally to Shenda high-speed roadway. Originally, it was a 4-lane freeway. It was rebuilt recently and now has 8 lanes.

The controversy over whether it is the first expressway in mainland China

Shenda highway is claimed to be the first expressway in China mainland. It was planned as an express highway but was actually built as a freeway. Due to its length (400 km), it was opened section by section. Although the entire route was not completed until 1990, its first section had already opened in 1986. By 1988, more than 100 km of the route was opened to public traffic. Its competitor, the Hujia Expressway,only 18.5 km long, also claimed to be the first expressway in mainland China. It was completed in 1988.

Main Exits

Exit name	Approx. kilometers from start
Shenyang Shenyang Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...  North	0
Shenyang Shenyang Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...	3
Liaoyang Liaoyang Liaoyang is a city in China, Liaoning province, located in the middle of the Liaodong Peninsula. The city is situated on the T'ai-tzu River and forms with Anshan a built up area of 2,057,200 inhabitants in 2010....	67
Anshan	92
Haicheng	128
Dashiqiao Dashiqiao Dashiqiao is a city in south-central Liaoning province of Northeast China. It is under the administration of Yingkou City, which is to the west.-Administrative Divisions:There are 5 subdistricts and 11 towns under the city's administration.Subdistricts:...	160
Gaizhou Gaizhou Gaizhou is a coastal city in south-central Liaoning province of Northeast China. It is under the administration of Yingkou City, which lies to the north-northwest, and is located at the northwest end of the Liaodong Peninsula near the northeast coast of the Bohai Sea.-Administrative...	190
Xiongyuecheng Xiongyuecheng Xiongyuecheng or Hsiungyueh is a city on the Liaodong Peninsula, in Liaoning province, China....	221
Wafangdian Wafangdian Wafangdian is one of the three "Northern Cities" of Dalian, located in the south of Liaoning province in Northeast China. The city is famous for its ball bearing industry. Wafangdian Bearing Factory is the largest bearing manufacturer in Asia and was initially built by the Japanese during World...	295
Pulandian Pulandian Pulandian is one of the "three northern cities" of Greater Dalian, Liaoning Province, the other two being Wafangdian and Zhuanghe.-Geography:...	322
Jinzhou Jinzhou Jinzhou , is a prefecture-level city of Liaoning province, China. It is a geographically strategic city located in the "Liaoxi Corridor" , which connects land transportation between North China and Northeast China. Jinzhou is China's northernmost seaport and the coastal economic center of West...	367
Dalian Dalian Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...	400