The world’s highest bridge, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, opened to traffic Sunday morning in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, reducing travel across the deep canyon from two hours to just two minutes. The bridge, soaring 625 meters above the Beipan River, is nearly nine times the height of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
Spanning 2,890 meters across the Huajiang Grand Canyon — often called “the Earth’s crack” — the bridge is now a key part of China’s rapidly expanding infrastructure network. Construction began in 2022 and, over three years, the project has drawn global attention, showcasing China’s engineering capabilities in mountainous canyon regions. Guizhou, known as “the world’s bridge museum,” has long relied on tunnels and bridges to navigate its rugged karst terrain.
Wu Chaoming, project manager and native of a small mountain village in Guizhou, recalled the region’s once-difficult connectivity: “From my hometown to the county seat, there was only one bus per day, bursting at the seams. People even rode on the luggage racks on the roof.” Since 2012, the province has accelerated bridge construction, now hosting over 32,000 bridges built or underway — a tenfold increase from the 1980s.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge surpasses the former world’s highest bridge, also over the Beipan River, which opened in 2016 with a vertical clearance of 565.4 meters. With a main span of 1,420 meters, it is now the world’s longest-span steel truss girder suspension bridge in mountainous terrain.
The bridge is expected to boost regional connectivity, reduce travel time, and alleviate traffic pressure on the Shanghai-Kunming expressway. Beyond transport, it is set to enhance industrial collaboration and resource flow across the regional urban cluster.
Engineering feat and innovation
Chinese engineers overcame multiple challenges, including complex geology, strong canyon winds, and high-altitude precision work. The project employed satellite navigation, drones, smart monitoring systems, and ultra-high-strength materials, achieving millimeter-level construction accuracy. The bridge has secured 21 patents, with several innovations incorporated into national bridge construction standards.
“Guizhou demonstrates that complex terrain is not a constraint but a catalyst for innovation,” said renowned Chinese bridge expert Ge Yaojun.
A new tourist destination
The bridge is also envisioned as a world-class tourism site. Over 50 square kilometers around the structure are planned for tourism, including extreme sports, sightseeing, science education, and leisure facilities. A cloud-top café atop the 800-meter-high tower is expected to open in October. Other attractions under development include paragliding, rope-free bungee jumping, a high-altitude speed runway, and a water-screen light show.
The bridge recently hosted the first World’s Highest Bridge Triathlon International Challenge, attracting nearly 200 athletes from more than 20 countries. Authorities predict the bridge will draw over one million visitors annually, boosting local industries such as agriculture, hospitality, and cultural products.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge not only sets a new record but also exemplifies China’s ingenuity in transforming challenging terrain into infrastructure and tourism opportunities.
