A steel monster between mountains: the world’s tallest and most extreme bridge is now a reality
China continues to build new monumental infrastructure works. The latest is a bridge that sits hundreds of feet above the tallest buildings in New York.
The province of Guizhou, located in southwest China, was once one of the poorest in China. However, the government in Beijing has been investing heavily in the mountainous region to make it a destination for industry and tourists.
The latest project, a monumental bridge, is set to be completed in June this year. The structure, which sits over 2050 feet (625 meters) over the Beipan River canyon, will add to the province’s title, ‘the Museum of World Bridges’.
When complete it will be the world’s tallest bridge but that isn’t the only incredible fact about the megaproject. The Huajiang Canyon Bridge, which cost $283 million, was started in 2022, meaning that from start to finish only three years will have passed and work on the impressive structure is ahead of schedule.
A bridge in the clouds
The engineering milestone, located in Zhenfeng County, is literally a bridge in the clouds. The suspension bridge stretches nearly 1.8 miles and is so high that the top of New York City’s One World Trade Center skyscraper would be over 275 feet below. The main span of the bridge is 4,660 feet, held aloft by suspension cables from two 860-foot-tall towers on either side of the gorge.
The feat of modern engineering will reduce travel time between either side of the gorge from over an hour to just a matter of minutes. The region, with its cool year-round climate, has become a destination-of-choice for tech companies like Apple, Huawei and Tencent to install big data storage centers and is now a leading hub.
However, the vertigo-inducing suspension bridge is not just a piece of infrastructure to improve regional connectivity but also to draw tourists to the region which features such attractions as the Huangguoshu Waterfall and Guanling Fossil National Geopark.
The colossal bridge will be a tourist attraction in its own right. There will be glass-floor walkways and extreme sports facilities. As well, one of the towers will have a space for visitors to gaze upon the stars.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.