Duge Bridge

The Duge Bridge ([tú.kɤ̌]), also called the Beipanjiang Bridge, is a four-lane cable-stayed bridge on the border between the provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan in China.^[1][2] It spans the deep gorge of the Nizhu River (a tributary of the Beipan), near the town of Duge.

Duge Bridge 北盘江第一桥
Coordinates	26.3866°N 104.6755°E / 26.3866; 104.6755
Carries	G56 Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway
Crosses	Nizhu River
Locale	Shuicheng County, Guizhou Xuanwei, Yunnan, China
Official name	Beipan River Hangrui Expressway Bridge
Characteristics
Design	Cable-stayed
Total length	1,340 m (4,400 ft)
Height	269 m (883 ft)
Longest span	720 m (2,360 ft)
Clearance below	565 m (1,854 ft)
History
Construction end	10 September 2016
Opened	29 December 2016
Location

Beipan River First Bridge
Simplified Chinese	北盘江第一桥
Traditional Chinese	北盤江第一橋
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Běipán Jiāng Dìyīqiáo
Beipan River Large Bridge
Simplified Chinese	北盘江特大桥
Traditional Chinese	北盤江特大橋
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Běipán Jiāng tèdàqiáo
Duge Beipan River Bridge
Simplified Chinese	都格北盘江大桥
Traditional Chinese	都格北盤江大橋
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Dūgé Běipán Jiāng Dàqiáo
Hang(zhou)–Rui(li) Expressway Beipan River Bridge
Simplified Chinese	杭瑞高速北盘江大桥
Traditional Chinese	杭瑞高速北盤江大橋
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Háng–Ruì gāosù Běipán Jiāng Dàqiáo

As of 2021, the bridge is the highest in the world, with the road deck sitting over 565 metres (1,854 ft) above the floor of the gorge.^[3][4] The bridge is part of the G56 Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway between Qujing and Liupanshui. The eastern tower measures 269 m (883 ft), making it one of the tallest in the world, although it is 74 m (243 ft) shorter than the 2004 Millau Viaduct's tallest pier.

Construction

Construction began in 2011. The bridge was completed on 10 September 2016, and was opened to the public on 29 December 2016.^[5] It cost a total of ¥1.023 billion^[6] and took five years to build. It was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's highest bridge in 2018.^[7]

Duge Bridge dimensions; horizontal measurements are in centimetres

Gallery

• 
  Under construction

See also

• List of highest bridges
• List of tallest bridges
• List of longest cable-stayed bridge spans
• List of largest bridges in China

References

1. "Work begins on Duge Beipanjiang Bridge towers". Bridge Design and Engineering. Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
2. Sakowski, Eric. "Beipanjiang Bridge Duge" (Wiki). HighestBridges.com./
3. Chris Buckley (10 June 2017). "China's New Bridges: Rising High, but Buried in Debt China has built hundreds of dazzling new bridges, including the longest and highest, but many have fostered debt and corruption". The New York Times. p. A6. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. The vertiginous Duge Beipan River Bridge, the world's highest, vaults a 1,853-foot-deep chasm in southwest China.
4. "China's impossible engineering feat". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
5. observador. "China inaugura ponte mais alta do mundo (China inaugurates the highest bridge in the world)" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 December 2016.
6. "China Opened World's Highest Beipanjiang Bridge To Traffic In The Guizhou".
7. "Beipanjiang set Guinness record as highest bridge".