Skip to main content

China opens record-breaking bridge

China has opened the world's longest bridge over water, the 41.58km Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, which is said to have cost well over US$2 billion to build. It links the eastern port city of Qingdao to Huangdao Island across Jiaozhou Bay and is 4km longer than the previous longest bridge over water, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, USA. Opened in June, 2011 after four years of construction, the link is expected to carry some 30,000 vehicle/day and will reduce travel time by 30 minutes, although it is o
April 11, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSChina has opened the world's longest bridge over water, the 41.58km Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, which is said to have cost well over US$2 billion to build.

It links the eastern port city of Qingdao to Huangdao Island across Jiaozhou Bay and is 4km longer than the previous longest bridge over water, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, USA.

Opened in June, 2011 after four years of construction, the link is expected to carry some 30,000 vehicle/day and will reduce travel time by 30 minutes, although it is only likely to hold the record for a few years.

The main contractor for the huge project was Shandong Hi- Speed Qingdao Highway, a whollyowned subsidiary of 3034 Shandong Hi-Speed Group (SDHS), a stateowned group, which will also operate and manage the bridge.

During the two-phase construction process some 2.3 million m³ of concrete was used along with 450,000tonnes of steel, enough for 65 Eiffel Towers.

Supported by more than 5,000 pillars, the six-lane, 33.5m wide bridge was built by nearly 20,000 people working around the clock.

According to SDHS, the bridge's design involves three channel bridges across Cangkou, Red Island and Dagu Channel. The Cangkou bridge spans 260m, and the Red Island Bridge spans 120m, with this bridge being the first ocean interchange in China where it links with an existing bridge.

The company claims that the 149m high tower of the Dagu Channel Bridge is the first selfanchored suspension bridge with a single tower in the world.

However, with construction of a 50km, dual three-lane sea bridge linking China's southern Guangdong province with the islands of Hong Kong and Macau (Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge) scheduled to start, the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge will lose its record in 2016, when the project is scheduled for completion.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New version of world’s longest floating bridge
    August 12, 2014
    The creation of a new version of the world’s longest floating bridge in Seattle, in the US state of Washington, is among the world’s most eye-catching current bridge engineering projects. It is an impressive example of the health of the bridge replacement sector, particularly in the US, leaving it well placed for growth. Guy Woodford reports Already the world’s longest floating bridge at over 2,310m long, the Governor Albert D Rosellini-Evergreen Point Floating Bridge in Seattle in the United States is g
  • Formwork solutions for bridge maintenance and repair
    January 6, 2015
    An array of innovative formwork solutions have helped in the repair and construction of key bridge links - Mike Woof writes Formwork producers are continually developing novel solutions for bridge maintenance and construction applications. Several key structures have benefited from the novel use of formwork systems, with suppliers such as Doka, PERI, Pilosio and RMD all working on important structures in recent times. In Estonia, construction work is underway on the bypass around Tartu, the country’s
  • Concession tender for Brazilian bridge
    December 8, 2014
    Brazil’s Transport Ministry is putting the concession contract to maintain the Rio-Niterói bridge in Rio de Janeiro out to tender. The present 20-year maintenance contract for the bridge held by Ponte will run out in May 31st 2015, reports Business News Americas. The new concession deal will involve maintaining the structure as well as building an underpass underneath Renascença square in Niterói. Construction of the 13.3km pre-stressed concrete structure commenced in 1968 and was completed in 1974, at whic
  • Major bridge widening project going to plan
    May 2, 2012
    When built it was determined that a vital US road/rail bridge would always be widened.