TUNIS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- When the new Bizerte Bridge opens to traffic in 2027 in the northern Tunisian city of Bizerte, it will link the two banks of the Bizerte Canal and put an end to years of traffic congestion that has long troubled both residents and tourists.

The structure, being built by China's Sichuan Road and Bridge Group (SRBG), is one of Tunisia's largest ongoing infrastructure project and has become a focal point of national anticipation since construction work began in July 2024.

The project consistently ranks among our most-searched terms, said Hsan Sousou, head of Tunisia's largest business and news website Tunisie Numerique.

Articles about the bridge maintain exceptionally high readership, demonstrating that it is clearly a project that matters to people, Sousou told Xinhua.

The Bizerte Canal currently divides the city, with only one crossing point: the 45-year-old Bizerte Bascule Bridge. Built in 1980, the aging structure must close several times daily to allow vessel passage, creating kilometers-long traffic jams that force residents to detour up to 60 km for what should be a short crossing.

Marwan Hamida, a local tourism professional, explained how the congestion impacts his business.

Bizerte has beautiful beaches, but the millions of foreign tourists who visit Tunisia every summer rarely visit here because of the traffic nightmare, he said, pointing to his navigation app, adding: "Look, the road surface of the Bizerte Bascule Bridge is almost always red, except late at night."

"The traffic problem will no longer exist after the completion of the new bridge. Foreign tourists are able to check into hotels in Bizerte less than two hours after getting off their flights in the capital Tunis's airport. This place will become a hotspot for Tunisia's tourism industry," he said gleefully.

During a July inspection visit, Tunisian Minister of Equipment and Housing Slah Zouari confirmed the project remains on track for 2027 completion.

Zouari called it "the most important construction project in Tunisia at the moment," and praised the smooth progress made by Chinese contractors in the first year of construction.

At the site, concrete pillars rise from both banks as two steel trestles extend dozens of meters into the canal. Chinese and Tunisian workers are operating cranes and welding equipment in coordinated rhythm, with foundation work already 14 percent complete.

"Our next phase involves completing the construction of the bridge's foundation and substructure," said Yu Yeqiang, project general manager from the SRBG.

"The project is a matter of great concern in Tunisia, and we're working closely with the Tunisian side to meet the second-half 2027 deadline," Yu said.

The project's local impact is already visible. When Chinese project vehicles run through downtown Bizerte, local drivers often yield right of way and pedestrians wave warmly, gestures Yu attributed to widespread public appreciation for the bridge's potential to transform daily commutes and boost local industries.

Beyond connecting divided communities, the project also introduces advanced construction and environmental protection technologies previously unavailable in Tunisia.

"We hope to leave behind not just an impressive bridge, but also Chinese solutions and standards that local industry can reference for years to come," Yu said.