State Council Publishes the Regulations on Rural Roads

The State Council recently released the Regulations on Rural Roads (the "Regulations"), effective from September 15, 2025.

The Regulations, consisting of 28 articles, primarily involve: (1) clarifying the development orientation; (2) stressing primary responsibilities; (3) enhancing the quality of the road networks; (4) strengthening management and maintenance; (5) enhancing safety safeguards; and (6) promoting integrated development. Notably, according to the Regulations, the construction of rural roads shall focus on enhancing the quality of road networks, coordinate and be aligned with the construction of national and provincial highways, advance the integration of urban and rural transportation; newly constructed rural roads shall meet the applicable technical standards for highways, and existing roads that do not meet the minimum technical standards shall be upgraded or reconstructed accordingly. The Regulations also set forth requirements on the demarcation and management of building control zones along rural roads, governance of overloaded transportation, access of heavy-duty trucks, and comprehensive improvement of road environment, among others. Efforts will also be made to establish a sound accountability system for the management and maintenance of rural roads. The entities responsible for organizing and implementing rural road maintenance are clarified, and professional road maintenance entities are encouraged and guided to participate in the maintenance of rural roads.



(Source: https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/202507/content_7033173.htm)

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