China has officially opened the world’s highest bridge to traffic, marking an incredible three-year engineering journey. This new marvel surpasses even another record-holding bridge within the same province.
Known as the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, it dramatically spans 625 meters above a river and a breathtaking gorge in China’s rugged southern province of Guizhou. Interestingly, this region is also home to the 565-meter Beipanjiang Bridge, which now ranks as the world’s second highest.
Mesmerizing drone footage captured vehicles gracefully crossing the colossal structure, its striking blue support towers occasionally vanishing into the surrounding clouds. The opening ceremony saw a gathering of project engineers and local officials, many of whom shared their immense pride and excitement during interviews.
Zhang Yin, head of the provincial transport department, highlighted the bridge’s impact, stating, “The opening of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge slashes travel time between the two sides from two hours to a mere two minutes.” She emphasized that this achievement brings “enormous improvements to regional transportation and injects new momentum into local economic and social development.”
Over recent decades, China has poured substantial investment into ambitious infrastructure projects, fueling its rapid economic growth and urbanization. Guizhou, a particularly hilly province, is now famously crisscrossed by thousands of bridges, including the two highest on the planet. According to the state news agency Xinhua, nearly half of the world’s top 100 highest bridges are located in this single province.
The construction of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge took over three years. With its impressive 1,420-meter main span, it is recognized as the “world’s largest-span bridge built in a mountainous area.”
While the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge holds the record for height (distance to the ground), it’s important to note that France’s Millau Viaduct remains the tallest bridge in terms of the height of its physical structure, standing at 343 meters.