World’s tallest bridge in Guizhou province nears completion as a major milestone has been achieved in the process.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province reached a significant milestone on Friday as the final steel truss segment, weighing 215 metric tons, was successfully hoisted into place.
This milestone completes the main structure, paving the way for its scheduled opening in the latter half of 2025.
Construction of the bridge began in 2022. With a height of 625 meters above the Beipan River and a main span of 1,420 meters, the bridge nearly matches the Shanghai Tower, China’s tallest building, in height.
Once completed, it is expected to surpass the Beipanjiang Bridge, also in Guizhou, as the world’s tallest bridge and achieve a global record for the longest span of any mountain bridge.
Guizhou’s challenging terrain has necessitated the development of extensive bridge infrastructure to enhance its traffic network.
As a vital part of the Liuzhi-Anlong expressway, the bridge will reduce travel time across the canyon from an hour to just two minutes. Improved connectivity is anticipated to attract more visitors to nearby attractions like the Huangguoshu Waterfall, boosting local tourism.
Chen Jianlei, deputy director of the Guizhou Transport Department, highlighted that the bridge would strengthen economic ties between Guiyang, Anshun, and Qianxinan, promoting regional economic integration.
Li Zhao, the project’s chief engineer, expressed pride in the accomplishment, stating that witnessing the bridge evolve and stand tall above the canyon was a source of immense satisfaction.
The steel truss structure, which serves as the bridge’s main load-bearing component, comprises 93 segments weighing approximately 22,000 tons—equivalent to the weight of three Eiffel Towers.
The rugged terrain of the Huajiang Canyon and unpredictable weather, including varying winds, humidity, and temperatures, posed significant challenges during construction.
To address these difficulties, the team employed a domestically developed smart cable crane system featuring the Beidou navigation satellite system. This advanced system enabled precise, automated crane positioning, reducing operator workload and manpower needs from eight workers to four.
The construction process also integrated digital management tools, including real-time monitoring of raw materials and virtual simulations to ensure accurate component alignment, explained Liang Junyuan, project manager from China Railway Baoji Bridge Group.
Technologies like 3D scanning and virtual simulations were utilized to detect potential clashes during component assembly, achieving 100 percent precision in aligning bolts with their designated holes.
With 80 percent of the main construction complete, the project team plans to begin installing panel segments between the trusses after the upcoming Chinese New Year, keeping the bridge on track for its planned opening later this year.
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