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The survey showed a ridge beside the river and nine tombs were subsequently found.
Excavations began in September and ended in late December.
In one of the tombs, which the expressway was to cut across, a 52-metre long, 12-metre wide cart pit was found containing 33 bronze battle carts and 72 horses.
"The cart pit has been the largest and best preserved one ever excavated in China," Wang Hongxing, director of Hubei Provincial Archaeological Research Institute, was quoted as saying.
"In the pit was a battle chariot pulled by six horses. Only the emperor of the eastern Zhou dynasty (770-256 BC) could use that kind of cart."
According to the paper, another pit close by revealed seven more well preserved chariots. While a body was found in a coffin with a sword in a sheath by its side, there were no inscriptions to indicate it was a king.
The chariots were the latest priceless discovery from the Jiuliandun Tombs in Zaoyang City.
As well as ritual vessels such as chimes, tripods and cauldrons, more than 1000 pieces of bamboo bearing official records over 2000 years old have been unearthed, which experts described as "the year's greatest archaeological find".
Bamboo slips, as they are known, usually provide more direct information than other cultural relics since the ancient Chinese wrote their records on them, the Xinhua news agency said.
Although the bamboo is soft and the writing blurred, after being submerged in muddy water, they should corroborate current historical records or correct them, said Yin Weizhang, a professor with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
They could also provide new information on politics, economics, culture, art or religion of the time.
Other finds include more than 80 musical instruments which are so well preserved and of such variety that they could still be used to give a concert, experts said.
Their discovery will "rewrite the history of Chinese music", Mr Wang said.
The cache from tombs is the largest yet found from the Chu State which dates back to the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC), Mr Wang said.
During the Warring States Period China was divided into seven major states - Qin, Yan, Zhao, Qi, Chu, Wei and han. Zaoyang belonged to Chu.
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