Overview

• The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge opened to traffic on September 28 in Guizhou, with vehicles crossing following an official ceremony.
• The deck stands 625 meters above the riverbed and the main span measures 1,420 meters, overtaking Guizhou’s Beipanjiang Bridge (565 meters) as highest by deck-to-ground clearance, while France’s Millau Viaduct remains highest by structural height.
• Officials say the new crossing cuts the drive across the gorge from about two hours to roughly two minutes, according to provincial transport chief Zhang Yin.
• State media report the project took about three years to build and cost more than 2 billion yuan, or roughly €240 million.
• The scale of the investment has drawn scrutiny given Guizhou’s heavy debt load and China’s dominance in such projects, with 18 of the world’s 20 highest bridges located in the country.