Liugang River Bridge

Introduction

In the Liugang River Gorge along the upper reaches of the Wujiang River, straddling the border between Guiyang's Xiuwen and Qianxi counties, two colossal steel structures stand facing each other across the river. Together, they chronicle Guizhou's bridge-building journey from “world's tallest” to “Asia's pinnacle”, becoming distinctive landmarks within Guizhou's “bridge museum” that carry the memory of an era.

Commencing construction in 1999 and completed in 2001, the Liugang River Bridge on the Gui-Bi Highway stands as Guizhou's pioneering large-span continuous rigid-frame bridge. This 564.2-meter-long prestressed concrete continuous rigid-frame bridge shattered the 72-year-old world record held by the Royal Gorge Bridge in the United States with its 297-meter deck height, becoming the “world's tallest bridge” at the time. Its 90-meter-high piers and bridge height both ranked first nationally, earning it the title of “Asia's tallest canyon bridge”. It pioneered the construction of super-large bridges in karst canyons in Guizhou.

Sixteen years later, another monumental bridge emerged at this very site. The Liugang River Grand Bridge, opened in 2017, marked another leap in Guizhou's bridge engineering. It pioneered the world's first step-by-step top-pushing method to install a 580-meter main span steel-concrete composite girder. This 1,280-meter-long double-tower, double-cable-plane composite girder cable-stayed bridge, with a deck height of 375 meters, was Asia's tallest bridge upon completion. It received the National Quality Award for Construction Projects and China's highest quality award in the highway industry.

Today, visitors at the Liugang River Grand Canyon viewing platform can simultaneously admire both generations of bridges. The rustic resilience of the old Liugang River Bridge complements the modern dynamism of the new Liugang River Special Bridge. Below lies the emerald waters of the Liugang River, while karst peak forests rise in layered ridges beside the platform. The surrounding area connects attractions like the Six Gorges and Seven Canyons, Fodong Mountain Temple, and Yangming Cave. Visitors can also enjoy canyon cruises and hot spring wellness experiences, blending engineering marvels with natural and cultural wonders.