2013 High Bridge Trip Photo Album/Week 3

2013 China High Bridge Trip Photo Album
Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces

The special spans visited during this week included Balinghe, Dimuhe, Beipanjiang 2003, Beipanjiang 2009, Beipanjiang High Speed Railway, Beipanjiang 2016, Liuchonghe, Xixi, Luojiaohe, Yanjinhe, Liuguanghe and Wujiang, Hutiaohe and Zhuchanghe Bridges. We also toured the famous Zunyi conference building.

There was no better way to kick off the 3rd week then our tour of Balinghe Bridge, the longest and highest in Guizhou Province. A group of CCTV producers met us at the bridge to talk about the possibility of doing a world record bungee jump from the bridge for an episode of the China Guinness TV show. Although the bungee attempt has been put on hold we had a pleasant afternoon with Guizhou highway leader Zhou Ping and producers Wang Wei, Pia and .Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Bruce speaks with Zhou Ping and Pia. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Pia and Zhou Ping enjoy the view from the 370 meter high Balinghe Bridge. Zhou Ping is one of the central leaders overseeing several billion dollars of new highway construction in Liupanshui County, Guizhou. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

We were all amazed by the cavernous Balinghe truss which is 10 meters deep. Image by Richard Scott.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Due for completion in 2014 the new Balinghe visitors center will allow tourists to take an elevator up the east tower for a walk inside the giant truss. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The west end of the Balinghe Bridge truss. Image by Richard Scott.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The CCTV girl poses in front of the 1088 meter main span of Balinghe. Image by Bruce Lee.

Lunch near the famou Huangguoshu waterfalls. Image by Richard Scott.

I saved the Maotai wine bottle. Maotai is the most famous liquor in China and is the only alcoholic beverage presented as an official gift by Chinese embassies in foreign countries and regions. The expensive drink is produced in Renhuai, a city in Guizhou we visited several days later in the trip. Image by Richard Scott.

A statue on the pathway leading to the Huangguoshu waterfalls. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Reported to be the largest waterfall in China, the Huangguoshu falls measure 78 meters tall by 101 meters wide. Image by Richard Scott.

There are many walkways and stairs and even a footbridge within the Huangguoshou gorge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A pathway winds around the canyon to the backside of the falls. Image by Richard Scott.

A constant mist keeps the hillside foliage thick and green. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

There is a beautiful cave hidden behind the falls. Image by Bruce Lee.

A second set of falls drop another 5 meters. Image by Bruce Lee.

This suspension footbridge allows guests to cross back over the river. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Highway leader Zhou Ping brought us all to a special restaurant where the food is cooked at the table. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by John Morrison.

Our second big tour of Guizhou Province was across the gargantuan Dimuhe footbridge that was constructed to allow workers to access the north slope where construction is underway on the new G56 Dimuhe suspension bridge. The chicken-wire span is 300 meters above the reservoir surface and has a main span of 510 meters - even longer then the Brooklyn Bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

We had a little rain at the beginning of the walk but luckily it stopped a few minutes later. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The Dimuhe footbridge actually crosses a shallow reservoir created from a dam 2.5 kilometers downstream of the crossing. Image by Bruce Lee.

A crane can be seen where the south tower of the Dimuhe suspension bridge is under construction. The 4-lane suspension truss span of 538 meters will cross more then 300 meters above the reservoir. Expect an opening in early 2016. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Richard Scott.

A view of the footbridge from the north slope. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Dimuhe Bridge worker.

The Sancha River 300 meters below Bruce's feet. Image by Bruce Lee.

The Dimuhe footbridge as seen from the south tower of the highway suspension bridge. Image by John Morrison.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

34DimuheFootbridgeNorthRichard&Bruce.jpg

Dimuhe north slope footbridge anchorage. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The foundation of the Southwest Dimuhe tower was nearly complete. Image by John Morrison.

The Dimuhe Bridge headquarters welcomed us for lunch and a video presentation. Image by Richard Scott.

The north tower is nearly twice as tall as the south tower. Image by CCCC.

Image by CCCC.

Image by CCCC.

An accident along the road from Dimuhe Bridge to Liupanshui City. Image by John Morrison.

Our second bridge tour of the day was at the tower site construction of the new Beipanjiang 2016 cable stayed bridge that will carry the G56 expressway more then 500 meters above the Beipan River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The massive east tower will rise to 269 meters making Beipanjiang 2016 Bridge the world's 10th tallest bridge as well as the world's highest bridge of any kind ever built. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A view of the east tower construction area across the canyon in Yunnan Province. The main span of 720 meters will rank it among the world's 15 longest cable stayed structures and first among truss deck cable stayed bridges. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The depth of the Beipan River gorge is hard to see from the upper slopes. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The Beipanjiang 2003 suspension bridge was once the highest in the world and still ranks among the most scenic with a thin 1.5 meter deck crossing 366 meters above the original level of the Beipan River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

There is always a group of tourists visiting the 2-lane bridge which has walkways on both sides. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A drainage hole in the road deck. Image by Richard Scott.

A view of the river gorge looking south. Water from the Beipan flows south, eventually emptying into the South China Sea near Macau and Hong Kong. Image by Richard Scott.

A steel wind barrier covers the edge of the concrete deck. Image by John Morrison.

The concrete underside of the Beipanjiang 2003 Bridge. Image by Richard Scott.

The Beipanjiang 2009 Bridge is the 3rd of 4 bridges we visited that cross high above the Beipanjing River. Image by Richard Scott.

The 4-lane bridge has a span of 636 meters and carries the G60 expressway 318 meters above a dry region of the Beipanjiang River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Our fourth and final Beipanjiang Bridge visit was to the spectacular new Beipanjiang High Speed Railway Bridge. The concrete arch will be the largest of its type in the world with a clear span of 445 meters. The twin track rail line will cross 283 meters above the river making it the highest railway bridge on earth! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A new pipeline bridge across the Bei Pan River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A highline more then 300 meters above the canyon is used to lower the arch sections into place. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Steel tube truss staging area. Image by Richard Scott.

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Several of the steel arch truss pieces were placed in the river, awaiting their turn to be lifted into place. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A shed protects a local road along the western edge of the river canyon. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

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The truss staging platform on the edge of the east slope. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Cantenary suspension bridges like the one shown above are very rare outside of China so we decided to drive over this one and take a closer look. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

The flexible deck is composed of dozens of bolted steel plates. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

After a rainy drive north of Zhijin City we stopped at this restaurant along national road 209. Lee told us it was a historic stop as the Red Army had also eaten there. We had a fun discussion of politics in China past and present. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Opening in 2013, the giant Sunziyan Bridge carries the Zhijin-Qianxi expressway north across a gorge more then 150 meters deep. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

One of the world's 10 highest bridges at over 330 meters, the Liuchonghe Bridge has a central cable stayed span of 438 meters supported on towers 190 and 157.6 meters tall. Image by Bruce Lee.

Bruce checks out some of the cable dampeners of the Liuchonghe Bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

A view looking more then 330 meters down to the Liuchong River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

2013 High Bridge Trip Photo Album/Week 3

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