China’s Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, the tallest bridge globally, has recently opened to the public, significantly reducing the crossing time from two hours to a mere two minutes. This colossal structure in Guizhou province surpasses the Eiffel Tower’s height twofold and dwarfs the Golden Gate Bridge nine times over in the US.
Spanning a massive canyon, the Huajiang Bridge is nearly as tall as China’s tallest building, the 632-meter Shanghai Tower with 128 stories. Construction of this record-setting bridge, which took three years to complete, employed cutting-edge technologies like satellite navigation and drones. The bridge features “smart cables” with embedded fiber-optic sensors for continuous monitoring of stress, temperature, and humidity, ensuring its long-term durability.
Rising 2,050 feet over the Beipan River, the bridge offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Stretching almost a mile long and supported by massive steel reinforcements weighing 215 metric tons, the bridge aims to connect the remote Guizhou region with the rest of the country, boosting economic development.
Chen Jianlei, deputy director of Guizhou Transport Department, expressed optimism about the bridge’s impact on economic ties between neighboring cities, fostering regional economic integration. The chief engineer of the project expressed deep pride and a sense of achievement upon seeing the completion of this monumental infrastructure.
With a construction cost of £227 million, the main deck of the bridge comprises 93 segments totaling 22,000 tons, three times the weight of the Eiffel Tower. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, surpassing the Beipanjiang Bridge as the world’s tallest, is set to become a tourist attraction with features like a glass walkway offering stomach-churning views and a glass-covered elevator for visitors to reach the highest points of the structure.
The bridge complex includes a café and observation hall atop the structure, along with a 207-meter-tall sightseeing elevator for a quick ascent to enjoy panoramic views. As China’s first bridge-tourism fusion complex, it combines sightseeing, adventure sports, and travel services for an all-encompassing and thrilling destination. Activities like the “sky balance beam,” bungee jumping, and low-altitude skydiving will be offered, promising an unforgettable experience for visitors.