China Opens World's Highest Bridge

A suspension bridge spanning the Huazijian Gorge in Guizhou Province, China, has opened to traffic. According to CNA, the distance from the bridge deck to the base of the gorge, through which the Beipan River flows, is 625 meters, making the new bridge the tallest in the world.

The construction of the Huazijian Gorge bridge took three years and nine months and cost approximately $280 million. The bridge is 2.9 kilometers long. Local authorities note that the new bridge reduces travel time across the gorge from 'two hours to two minutes,' while the project's launch improves the regional transport network and provides 'a new impetus for the economic and social development of the region.'

The province is also home to the previous world’s highest bridge, the Duge Bridge (565 meters), which spans a gorge where a tributary of the Beipan River flows.