Move over, Golden Gate and Sydney Harbour. China is set to open the world’s tallest bridge in June, the latest feat of engineering from the infrastructure-focused country.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is currently nearing the end of construction in Guizhou, southwest China. It will measure 2,051 feet above river level, which is 947 feet taller than current bridge title holder the Millau Viaduct in France.
Guizhou province is a mountainous areas of China, with complex terrain. The bridge crosses the dramatic Huajiang Grand Canyon, also called the “earth crack.”
China has a nationwide push to improve infrastructure, especially in relatively underdeveloped mountainous areas like Guizhou, which is 800 miles west of the city of Shenzhen.
Thus, the bridge isn’t just about breaking a record — once in operation, it will be easier than ever for cars and trucks to traverse the area. According to state media, it will reduce travel time over the Huajiang Grand Canyon from two hours to just one minute.
The bridge is a steel truss suspension bridge with a total length of 9,482 feet. Construction officially started on January 18, 2022 and is expected to be completed on June 30, 2025, Guizhou local state media said.
Altogether, these trusses weigh about 22,000 tons, equivalent to three Eiffel Towers.
“At present, the overall progress of the bridge has reached 95%, and it is planned to be opened to traffic in the second half of 2025,” Zhang Shenglin, chief engineer of Guizhou Highway Group, told the state-run newspaper China Daily.
“By then, this super project that spans the “earth crack” will be the world’s first in both directions. It will become another landmark project to demonstrate China’s infrastructure strength,” Zhang added.
Currently, nearly half of the top 100 tallest bridges in the world are in Guizhou.
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