Tarim Desert Highway

Construction on the highway began in 1993 because of expansion in the petroleum industry, requiring fast shipping across the Taklamakan desert. Construction was completed in 1995.

Along the highway. The vegetation on each side can be seen, as well as a blue pump house in the distance.

To prevent the shifting sands from covering the highway, bushes and other vegetation were planted next to the highway to anchor the sand with their roots. A massive irrigation system was constructed to pump water for the vegetation along the highway.

At the halfway point along the desert highway, there are a few restaurants and a gas station. Except for pump house maintenance workers, the region is entirely uninhabited.

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  The monument commemorating the completion of the Highway, on the north end (in Luntai County)
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  The start of the Highway on the north side (in Luntai County)
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  Desert poplars
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  Crossing the Tarim River
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  A scene of the Tarim Desert along the way
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  Straight for the branch to Tazhong Oil Field or right on the main highway toward Minfeng County
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  A supermarket and a Karaoke parlor at the junction of Tajie Highway
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  The monument at the south end of the Highway, in Minfeng County

This highway, 156 km (97 mi) long, is a branch highway, connecting Tazhong (Chinese: 塔中) on the Lunmin Highway, above, with Qiemo (Chinese: 且末) in the southeast direction on National Highway 315. It opened in 2002, and is called the autonomous region's S233 Highway.