WUHAN: The first road tunnel under China's longest river opened in Hubei province yesterday cutting travel times for Wuhan motorists by more than 20 minutes.

The 3.63-km, 4-lane tunnel connects Wuchang, where government offices and universities are based to the Hankou business area, reducing driving time from half an hour to 7 minutes.

The tunnel, which will carry about 50,000 vehicles every day, is designed to withstand a one-in-300-year flood and an earthquake measuring up to six on the Richter scale.