Daijiworld Media Network - Beijing

Beijing, Sep 1: China is set to open the world’s highest bridge next month after completing the massive project in just three-and-a-half years — the same time Britain is taking to build a motorway overpass near Manchester.

The Huajiang Canyon Bridge, located in the rugged Guizhou province, rises 625 metres above the Beipan River canyon — nearly twice the height of London’s Shard. Once opened, it will eclipse France’s Millau Viaduct, which stands at 343 metres, as the tallest bridge in the world.

Construction began in January 2022, with China using advanced design software, modular prefabrication, drones and sensors to speed up the process. Last week, 96 trucks weighing almost 3,000 tonnes rolled across the bridge in a strength test, signalling the near completion of the 2.1bn renminbi (£217m) project.

Measuring almost 1.8 miles long and 0.86 miles wide, it also sets a record for the longest span between towers in a mountainous area. Once operational, it will cut an hour-long drive across the canyon to just 90 seconds and is expected to become a major tourist attraction with facilities like a glass walkway, bungee jumping, paragliding and rope-swinging.

In sharp contrast, the UK’s National Highways is still working on a £23m project to replace the St Anne’s Road bridge over the M67 motorway in Denton, Manchester. Work began in January 2023, but completion is not expected until “sometime in 2026.” Officials cite the complexities of diverting pipelines and minimizing disruption to residents and traffic as reasons for the delay.

Environmentalists, however, have raised concerns about China’s rapid development in Guizhou, warning of landslides, erosion and habitat loss caused by explosive drilling and excavation through the karst landscape. Despite this, the project is being hailed as another showcase of China’s engineering prowess, with the province already home to nearly half of the world’s 100 tallest bridges.