URUMQI - The first desert expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region opened to traffic on Saturday.

The 96.3 km Wucaiwan-Dahuangshan expressway will play a major role in the region's highway network by easing the traffic pressure and connecting regional industry clusters, according to the Communications Department of Xinjiang.

The desert expressway is located in the Changji Hui autonomous prefecture. Designed for a speed of 120 km per hour, it has four lanes running in each direction. Total investment is about 2.76 billion yuan ($453.7 million).

It is a part of a trunk road that runs from northern to southern Xinjiang.

Culverts and animal corridors were specially designed for the expressway, which runs across a national-level reserve, to ensure the safe roaming of wild animals such as the wild horse and antelope.