The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge spanning 625 meters (2,051 feet) above the Beipan River, in China’s Guizhou Province, is set to become the world’s highest bridge upon completion, in the second half of 2025.
The mountainous province of Guizhou is well-known for its complex terrain and the incredible bridges traversing it. Guizhou is home to more than half of the world’s top 100 highest bridges and has set the record for the world’s highest bridge more than once. This year, the Chinese province will once again claim the record for the third consecutive time! The first was in 2003 when the Beipanjiang Guanxing Bridge became the first suspension bridge in the world to surpass the 1,000-foot height threshold. The second time was in 2016, with the innovative Beipanjiang Duge Bridge, and this year, it’s doing it again with a bridge over the deepest part of the Beipan River Valley, a place known as the Huajiang Grand Canyon, or the ‘Earth Crack’.
“At present, the overall progress of the bridge has reached 95%, and it is planned to be opened to traffic in the second half of 2025,” Zhang Shenglin, chief engineer of Guizhou Highway Group, boasted in an interview with China Daily. “By then, this super project that spans the ‘Earth Crack’ will be the world’s first in both directions. It will become another landmark project to demonstrate China’s infrastructure strength.”
Construction of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge officially started on 18 January 2022, and in just three years’ time, the Chinese are close to completing one of the most impressive bridges in the world. Spanning 2,890 metres (9,482 feet) over the Beipan River Valley, between two massive concrete towers, the soon-to-be world’s highest bridge hangs over 2,000 feet above water.
Although setting a new world record and wowing the globe with yet another infrastructural marvel is pretty nice, China built the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge with a much more functional purpose in mind. Currently, crossing the huge canyon takes around 1 hour driving on the only available winding road, but when the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge opens later this year, the crossing time will be lowered to about a minute.
The people and businesses of Guizhou Province will be the first to profit from the opening of the world’s highest bridge, but local authorities also want to turn it into a tourist attraction for visitors. One of the bridge towers will house a glass elevator that will offer users breathtaking views of the surrounding area, as well as a Stargazing Bar and Cafe. A glass floor will be installed below the road deck, where visitors will get to seemingly float hundreds of meters above ground. Finally, the world’s highest Bungee jump location will offer thrill-seekers a serious adrenaline rush.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is set to officially become the world’s highest bridge on its inauguration day, June 30th, 2025.
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