The newly completed Xuefeng Mountain Express Highway Tunnel in central China's Hunan Province will soon make its debut with its special lighting effects imitating the blue sky with clouds, intended to relieve eyestrain for drivers, local newspaper Changsha Evening News reports.

Artificial sky with changing clouds will relieve eyestrain for drivers going through the Xuefeng Mountain Express Highway Tunnel in central China's Hunan Province.

As an important part of the Shaoyang-Huaihua Express Highway that connects central, southwestern and western Hunan and its surrounding provinces, the tunnel well considered the needs of drivers when designing the lighting effects.

Strong lighting at the entrances of the tunnel ensures a more gradual visual transition into the 6.95-kilometer tunnel. The next section has soft lighting, which finally leads to the inner sections with a ceiling of artificial sky.

The Xuefeng Mountain Express Highway Tunnel opens up the largest barrier between Shaoyang and Huaihua, and it's the third longest highway tunnel in China.

The Shaoyang-Huaihua Express Highway will be put into use on November 8 after four years of construction. The tunnel will shorten the journey from Changsha to Huaihua from eight hours to four hours.

The Xuefeng Mountain Express Highway Tunnel

(CRI November 3, 2007)