Abstract: Abstract: Linear projects such as roadway and pipelines, due to the geometrical layout, are characterized in that many identical units are repeated from one unit to another in horizontal direction. A major linear project has a profound impact on the regional development of traditional rural settlements in mountainous areas. Consequently, the historical process of social communities may be interrupted or accelerated. The research on this evolution process can contribute to further understand the external effects of regional major linear project and the relationship between expressway construction and economic development in rural areas. In this study, Dahaituo Town, which locates in the Southwest of Chicheng County, Hebei Province, was selected as the research area. Based on the remote sensing images captured in 1999, 2009 and 2019, the spatial evolution of rural settlements under the major linear project construction was identified by using a systematic approach combined with spatial analysis, landscape pattern index, Voronoi diagram, and logistic regression model. The results showed that: 1) The spatial pattern of rural settlements in Dahaituo Town has changed obviously, which indicated the different characteristics before and after expressway construction. Before the construction of expressway from 1999 to 2009, the characteristics of rural settlements scattered and quantity significantly increasing was showed, whereas, during the expressway construction from 2009 to 2019, the trend of agglomerating and area increasing was observed. The major linear project serving as an external force can contribute to accelerate the expansion speed of rural settlements, thereby promoting the internal agglomeration of villages. 2) Under the condition of natural evolution without external intervention, the rural settlements in Dahaituo Town were mainly dependent on natural resources. All this time, the areas with flat terrain and rich cultivated land resources were often the first choice for residential construction. The construction of major linear project was beneficial to effectively improve the level of social and economic development in rural areas particularly can provide economic support for settlements environment. After the construction of linear project, there were gradual changes in the rural population and income, agricultural output, and financial income. The evolution of rural settlements driven by Major linear project construction has transferred from natural resource dependence to economic and social dependence. 3) The rural settlements in Dahaituo Town presented a cyclic evolution of "element-structure-function". The main driving forces of evolution were the multiple modes of subject behavior under the action of internal and external factors, and the ecological-life-production system coupling relationship under the influence of natural evolution and external forces. The construction of major linear project determined the evolution trend of rural settlements by influencing social and economic factors, and thereby to promote the reconstruction of social community and village system. Under the background of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integration, the construction of major projects can be expected to enhance the life style of the villagers by strengthening the circulation of urban and rural elements. In the future. It is necessary to study the impact of external intervention on the evolution of rural settlements. The local government needs to integrate urban and rural resources, further to strengthen planning guidance and remediation measures, so as to promote the reconstruction of rural system. These results can provide profound suggestions for policy making and strategic choice of Rural Revitalization in mountainous areas.