The world’s highest bridge was officially opened in China yesterday (28 September) after an engineering project that took 3 years to complete, snatching the record from another bridge in the same province.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge towers 625m above a river and vast gorge in the country’s rugged southern province of Guizhou, also home to the 565m Beipanjiang Bridge that is now the world’s second highest. The hilly province of Guizhou, in particular, is crisscrossed by thousands of bridges, which now include the world’s two highest.
The world’s highest bridge opens in Guizhou, China
However, that’s not the best part, as the newly-opened bridge dramatically cut short the travelling time
“The opening of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge reduces travel time between the two sides from two hours to two minutes.”
Zhang Yin, head of the provincial transport department, said at a press conference that its opening makes “enormous improvements to regional transportation conditions. Its 1,420m main span makes it the “world’s largest-span bridge built in a mountainous area.
The former world’s tallest bridge, which spans the Beipan River, is situated approximately 100 km from the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge. The previous record-holder, opened in 2016, has a vertical clearance of 565.4 meters from the bridge deck to the river surface below.
“The new bridge, which will greatly enhance regional connectivity, is a landmark project that showcases China’s innovation,” Zhang Yin added.
Since the bridge’s construction began, the building team has overcome immense challenges posed by the Grand Canyon. By leveraging a suite of new technologies, including satellite navigation, drones, smart monitoring systems, and ultra-high-strength materials, they achieved millimetre-level precision in high-altitude construction, transforming a once-impassable barrier into a transportation corridor, reported Xin Hua News.
What do you think of this technological marvel?
