2014 High Bridge Trip Photo Album/Week 2
2014 China High Bridge Trip Photo Album
Guizhou Province
The special spans visited during our second week included Nanjiang Railway, Najiehe Railway, Liuguanghe, Xixihe, Luojiaohe, Balinghe, Nayong, Wuzuohe, Beipanjiang Railway Qinglong and Zongxihe Bridges. We also toured a famous museum and home of a poet in Guizhou.
The Xiaojiang Bridge towers more then 125 meters high near the city of Tongren and marks the first of many high beam bridges on the G56 expressway in Guizhou Province. At the western end of Guizhou Province the G56 crosses over the Beipanjiang on the world's highest bridge at Duge. Image by Peter Wu.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
The great Wujiang River is crossed by this single tower cable stayed bridge in Tongren city. Image by John Filmer.
Boulevard construction along the Wujiang River in Tongren. Image by John Filmer.
The massive G56 Wujiang Bridge crosses more then 150 meters above the river on spans of 200 meters. The Wujiang has more high bridges across its waters then any other river in the world. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Mr. Chen.
Image by John Filmer.
Our lunch in Tongren City with a lot of veggies. Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Towering over 200 meters high, the Wujiang Bridge Yanrong is on a new North-South expressway in the center of Guizhou Province. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The remains of a construction incline used to access the base of the piers. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Wujiang Bridge Silin is another big beam span located just downstream of a major dam. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by John Filmer.
The Longchuan Bridge cuts across a remote river canyon south of Tongren. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Gaoguohe Bridge is 140 meters high. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Wuyanghe crosses one of eastern Guizhou's biggest rivers before the expressway meets up with the older G60 expressway. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Wuyang River canyon. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Pianpo Bridge is one of several giant beam spans within the city borders of Guiyang. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
One of the busy boulevards of Guiyang City. Image by John Filmer.
The entrance to the popular Nanjiang river gorge is marked by a waterfall and rafters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Rafters begin their journey along the Nan River. Image by John Filmer.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Nanjiang Railway Bridge is the highest railway beam bridge in the world at 230 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
This large pagoda marks the western edge of the largest apartment and commercial building project in the history of Guiyang City. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Najiehe Railway Bridge is technically the world's highest railway bridge if measured to the original water level of the Sancha River which is submerged under a man-made reservoir more then 25 meters deep. Image by John Filmer.
The main span of 352 meters consists of four steel box beam ribs. Image by Peter Wu.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Several of Peter's relatives live in Guiyang city and invited everyone to a Las Vegas-style theater show. Image by Peter Wu.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Easy to see from the G60 expressway west of Guiyang city are these 2 arch spans that cross one of Guizhou's largest reservoirs. Image by John Filmer.
Still the most famous bridge in all of Guizhou, the giant Balinghe Bridge is also the largest in the province with a span of 1088 meters. In 2019 the Chishuihe Bridge north of Renhuai will surpass it with a span of 1200 meters and become the new King of Guizhou. Image by Jorson.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Balinghe Bridge visitors center opened in 2015 where you can purchase tickets to go up an elevator and into the truss of the bridge almost 370 meters above the river. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The elevator entrance building near the base of the east tower. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Although not as large or impressive as Balinghe, the Beipanjiang Bridge crossing of the Hukun expressway is still one of the more photogenic spans of Western Guizhou. Image by Peter Wu.
A rare pipeline bridge across the Beipanjiang. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
With a span of 445 meters, the Beipanjiang Railway Bridge near Qinglong will become the longest span concrete arch ever built. The twin tracked line will carry high speed trains almost 300 meters above the Beipan River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
We were fortunate to get a great tour of the bridge from construction supervisor Derek Fu and lead bridge designer Xie Hai Qing. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by John Filmer.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Longtime friend Ian Chen and cousin of our driver Mr. Chen gave us a tour of the large housing development he is working on in the city of Xiuwen north of Guiyang. Within the area are a group of buildings that house a museum to memorialize a 16th century poet, philosopher, and successful army commander in the Sung dynasty named Wang yang-Ming 王陽明. During WWII, the compound was used for the quarantine of a big War Lord 張學良 for his action of holding Chiang Kai-shek hostage to force him to clear war against the Japanese. He lost his freedom for life from then on. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by John Filmer.
The development will have large parks, a river, upscale hotels, cultural centers and the preservation of the museum and buildings that are hundreds of years old. Image by John Filmer.
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Peter Wu.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Ian's boss treated us to a great lunch in one of the cities nicest restaurants. Image by John Filmer.
Liuguanghe was once the world's highest bridge on a 2-lane expressway that will soon be bypassed larger and safer 4-lane expressways to the north and the south. Despite no longer ranking among even the world's top 10 highest bridges, Liuguanghe is still the world's highest beam bridge at 297 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Liuguanghe Bridge rest area was originally nothing more then some temporary eating stalls before a more permanent building was built sometime after 2013. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The giant Xixhe Bridge on the new Qianda expressway is impressive as it became the world's 2nd highest beam bridge after Liuguanghe with a deck to water drop of 260 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Xixihe temporary footbridge more then 100 meters above the river. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Xixihe 2-lane suspension bridge on the Guibi highway. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Nearly identical to Xixi is the Luojiaohe suspension bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The deep reservoir below the Luojiaohe Bridge. Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
A horse enjoys a walk over the Luojiaohe Bridge! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Our Bijie city hotel overlooked the main riverwalk in the city. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The Diaolan River gorge has several new spans across its waters due to the construction of the nearby Bijie Airport and railway station. Image by John Filmer.
A view of the second Diaolanhe Bridge crossing. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
A view looking downstream from the smaller Diaolanhe arch bridge. Image by John Filmer.
Upstream view from the Diaolanhe Bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
One of the construction highlights of the tour was a visit to the Zongxihe arch bridge where we were lucky to see the placing of the very first arch segment up close. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Concrete will be pumped up into the steel tubes once the arch has been erected. Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by John Filmer.
Image by John Filmer.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Unknown.
Our hotel in downtown Nayong. Image by John Filmer.
One of the highest beam bridges on the G76 expressway is the giant Nayong Bridge rising 200 meters above the river surface. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Also in Nayong city is the Yongyang beam bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Just outside of Nayong city is the new Kalahe Railway Bridge that will open in 2016 allowing railway travel all the way to Guiyang city. Image by Peter Wu.
Also within the Nayong city region is the Longtoushan Yudonghe Railway Bridge with a central sspan of 128 meters and height of more then 150 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Our day in Nayong was the only one of the trip where we had rain which might not have been so bad had we not ventured onto a pot hole filled 2-lane road for more then 4 hours of non-stop abuse that made you wonder if the engine was going to fall onto road. Image by John Filmer.
The tough ride rewarded us with some occasional glimpses of the giant Wuzuohe cable stayed bridge with towers more then 200 meters tall. Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by John Filmer.
Our hotel in Liupanshui city where the hotel manager Mrs. Chen treated us to a great evening meal at a unique hot pot restaurant. We are hoping to successfully take the World's Highest fixed object bungee jump from the bridge in 2016. Image by Peter Wu.
Image by Mrs. Chen.
Click on Page 3 for Week Three with tours of Beipanjiang Duge, Nanpanjiang Railway, Dali City, Lijiang City and the amazing Tiger Leaping Gorge!