Wanglongbao Bridge
Wanglongbao Bridge
望龙包特大桥
Fa’er Bouyei, Guizhou, China
682 feet high / 208 meters high
525 foot span / 160 meter span
2013
Wanglongbao is one of 4 giant beam bridges that traverse over or along the deep Beipanjinag River valley on the the Shuipan 水盘高速公路 expressway that connects the city of Liupanshui and the G56 with the G60 expressway in Shuicheng and Panxian Counties. The long 886 meter bridge has a span configuration of 4x40 +85+160+85 +3x30 meters atop piers as high as 95 meters. But these numbers do not reveal the impressive crevasse directly beneath the crossing that make it one of the higher beam bridges in China at 208 meters.
Just two kilometers north of Wanglongbao is the massive Beipanjiang Bridge Shuipan expressway with the longest beam span ever attempted on a high level bridge with a distance of 290 meters between piers. Two kilometers south of Wanglongbao is the towering Laoyingyan beam bridge with 2 spans of 160 meters. The famous Beipanjiang Railway Bridge Shuibai crosses under the highway just 1 kilometer south of the Wanglongbao Bridge and makes for easy access for rail fans who want to check out the 275 meter high arch bridge. There are few places in the world where there are 4 high bridges in such close proximity to each other. The 4 giant beam bridges are located at kilometers 31, 33, 35 and 37.
Just below the Wanglongbao Shuipan expressway bridge is the beautiful Wanlong arch bridge that was built for a local road and is more then 100 meters high despite a span of around 30 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
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The 208 meter drop to the Wanglongbao creek. 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 Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
A view of the south pier. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The creek nearly vanishes beneath foliage for its last half kilometer run to the Beipan River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Looking north towards the giant slopes of the Beipan river gorge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
A view looking south along the Beipan River gorge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Wanglongbao canyon looking west. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The small Wanlong arch bridge was constructed over the Wanglongbao creek parallel to a footbridge used for construction workers of the arch. The two bridges are more then 100 meters high. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The temporary Wanlong Footbridge was 38 meters long with a clear span of 31 meters. The main arch rib follows a catenary curve with a tighter radius of curvature as it rises from the springings to the crown. 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 Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
A 2014 view with the temporary footbridge removed. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
A small ropeway crosses the Wanglongbao canyon. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Wanglongbao Bridge satellite image.
A wider view showing the giant tunnel spirals of the Shuibai Railway that were necessary to reduce the steepness of the railway grade that descends hundreds of meters down into the Beipanjiang River gorge.
Wanglongbao Bridge location map.
