Difference between revisions of "2013 High Bridge Trip Photo Album"

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The 3-week 2013 High Bridge trip was another grand adventure through the mountains of Western China to visit the world's 10 highest bridges as well as many other spans and several spectacular national parks.  Our guests included 3 retirees made up of British dentist Lee Choong and engineering twins John and Ray Morrison of Australia.  Rounding out the group of bridge fans was Canadian 'In the Wake of Tacoma' bridge book author Richard Scott.  Our translator was yet another energetic Tongji University bridge engineering student with the famous name of Bruce Lee.  On board for the second year in a row was our trusty driver Mr. Chen who navigated us safely along more then 2,000 miles / 3,500 kilometers of often treacherous roads.
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The 3-week 2013 High Bridge trip was another grand adventure through the mountains of Western China to visit the world's 10 highest bridges as well as many other spans and several spectacular national parks.  Our guests included 3 retirees made up of British dentist Lee Choong and engineering twins John and Ray Morrison of Australia.  Rounding out the group of bridge fans was Canadian 'In the Wake of Tacoma' bridge book author Richard Scott.  Our translator was yet another energetic Tongji University bridge engineering student with the famous name of Bruce Lee.  On board for the second year in a row was our trusty driver Mr. Chen who navigated us safely along more then 2,000 miles / 3,500 kilometers of often crazy roads.
  
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If there was one word to describe the 2013 trip it would be HOT!  Record temperatures were being broken throughout many parts of China during our 3 week trek and it often made it difficult to want to get out of the comfortable confines of our air conditioned mini-van to snap some photos of a bridge.  Luckily our group of gray-haired grandpas were up for anything and never hesitated or showed fear to visit any bridge I wanted to visit whether it required dodging highway traffic, climbing over a wall, hoping on a boat, hiking along a creek or taking a concrete slide down into a canyon.   
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If there was one word to describe the 2013 trip it would be HOT!  Record temperatures were being broken throughout many parts of China during our 3 week trek and it often made it difficult to want to get out of the comfortable confines of our air conditioned mini-van to snap some photos of a bridge.  Luckily our group of gray-haired grandpas were up for anything and never hesitated or showed fear to visit any bridge I wanted to visit whether it required dodging highway traffic, climbing over a wall, hopping on a boat, hiking along a creek or taking a concrete slide down into a canyon.   
  
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Our new rental car held up well as it was put through an unusually high amount of abuse along more miles of rough, bumpy and broken roads then all of my previous China trips combined.  The weather was only sunny half the time but we did manage to evade any rain for nearly the entire trip.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the food even if they did not always know what kind of vegetable they were eating but by the end of the trip we all knew what kinds of meats we liked or wanted to avoid.
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Our new rental car held up well as it was put through an unusually high amount of abuse along more miles of rough, bumpy and broken roads than all of my previous China trips combined.  The weather was only sunny half the time but we did manage to evade any rain for nearly the entire trip.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the food even if they did not always know what kind of vegetable they were eating but by the end of the trip we all knew what kinds of meats we liked or wanted to avoid.
  
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We were eternally gratefull to the Chinese engineers and authorities we met who were kind, generous and always willing to let us climb on their bridges like children in a playground.  These surprise tours took us above and below some of the most amazing spans in the history of bridge construction including an elevator ride up one of the world's tallest bridge towers, a walk through one of the world's largest suspension bridge trusses and a precarious hike across a chicken-wire footbridge nearly 300 meters high.  A special thanks to Liupanshui County engineer Zhou Ping and the wonderful Pung family who treated us like royalty in their own personal kingdom - the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Park.  Finally a thanks to all the Chinese locals who were always friendly and often curious as to why we would travel halfway around the world to visit their remote town or bridge.
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We are eternally gratefull to the Chinese engineers and authorities we met who were kind, generous and always willing to let us climb on their bridges like children in a playground.  These surprise tours took us above and below some of the most amazing spans in the history of bridge construction including an elevator ride up one of the world's tallest bridge towers, a walk through one of the world's largest suspension bridge trusses and a precarious hike across a chicken-wire footbridge nearly 300 meters high.  A special thanks to Liupanshui County engineer Zhou Ping and the wonderful Chen family who treated us like royalty in their own personal kingdom - the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Park.  Finally a thanks to all the Chinese locals who were always friendly and often curious as to why we would travel halfway around the world to visit their remote town or bridge.
  
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Look for an even more exciting Chinese in adventure in 2014 when we visit more than 75 of the world's highest spans including first ever construction site visits to the highest road and railway bridges on earth!   
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Look for an even more exciting Chinese adventure in 2014 when we visit more than 75 of the world's highest spans including construction site visits to the highest road and railway bridges on earth!   
  
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[[File:1ChaotianmenWeekOneWideLatinFont.jpg|750px|center]]
 
  
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[[File:1Week2013.jpg|750px|center]]
  
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The special spans visited during the first week included Chaotianmen, Dongshuimen, Hejiang, Huangyi, Qiancao, Nanqi and the Jialing River Bridges as well as countless others across the Yangtze River.
 
  
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The special spans visited during the first week included Yingwuzhou, Siduhe, Zhijinghe, Tieluoping, Longtanhe, Shuanghekou, Xiaohe, Caijiagou and Qiancaobei Bridges as well as a visit to Western China's most populous city of Chongqing where the world's longest span arch and beam bridges reside in the form of Chaotianmen and Shibanpo.
  
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[[File:2ChaotianmenByMrChen copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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Our journey began in Chongqing City - the "Pittsburgh" of China with an amazing collection of bridges including Chaotianmen Bridge, the largest arch in the world at 552 meters.  From left to right are Georges, myself (with rabbit ears), engineer interpreter Jiang Changjiang and Roger Perrin.  Image by Mr. Chen
 
  
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[[File:2FirstLunchScott&Morrisons.jpg|750px|center]]
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Our first meal together at a great dumpling restaurant near Tongji University.  On the left is Richard Scott with twin brothers Ray and John Morrison.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
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[[File:4DafosiGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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Dafosi Bridge was one of the first cable stayed spans in the Chongqing City region opening in 2001 with a main span of 450 meters.  Image by Georges.
 
  
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[[File:8TongjiMaobyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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All of my China trips seem to begin at Tongji University in Shangahi which has the best and most extensive bridge engineering courses of any school in China.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
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[[File:3ChaotianmenArch2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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Flooding was so extensive from rain several days prior that the level of the Yangtze was at 177 meters in Chongqing City or 2 meters above the full 3 Gorges reservoir level of 175 meters.  This was surprising given the water level at the dam several hundred kilometers downstream was only at 157 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
  
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[[File:9TongjiSignbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by John Morrison.
  
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Some of the hundreds of Chongqing skyscrapers.  Image by Georges.
 
  
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[[File:10TongjiBridgeLibrarybyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Tongji also has China's only Bridge Engineering library with hundreds of unique journals and books that can only be found here.  Image by John Morrison.
  
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[[File:6DongshuimenByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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The new Chongqing metro line crossing of the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers necessitated the construction of two separate cable stayed bridges known as Dongshuimen and Qianximen that are separated by a long curving tunnel. The towers were carefully designed by the Chongqing offices of T.Y. Lin International to have a curvilinear shape in all directions that give them a beautiful, signature look despite the extra cost. Image by Jiang Changjiang.
 
  
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[[File:3ShanghaiCenterSkyscraper.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Shanghai Tower had just had just been topped out in August as the world's 2nd tallest skyscraper.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
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[[File:7Dongshuimen10 copy.jpg|450px|center]]
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Our pre-trip day in Shanghai included a visit to Tongji University where scaled down versions of China's tallest skyscrapers are tested for earthquake resilience on giant shake tables.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:5ShanghaiWorldFinancialCenterModel.jpg|450px|center]]
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The Shanghai Tower on the left surpassed the Shanghai World Financial Center on the right to become China's tallest skyscraper.  Others will surpass both of them in the years to come.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:6ShanghaiCenterTestModel.jpg|450px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:8Dongshuimen12 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:7TongjiSkyscraperTestingCenter.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:9Dongshuimen11 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:11ShanghaiTowerModelTJARD.jpg|450px|center]]
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The first two cable stayed pipes can be seen in the top center of the tower.  There will only be 9 cables on each tower.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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I have known bridge engineer Shijie Du for more then 8 years since our first bridge trip in 2006.  He now works across the street from Tongji University at the famous Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute.  He gave us an evening tour of the modern building where many of the firms architectural models are on display including the new 121-story Shanghai Tower.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:12EricAduTJARDModelbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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There is even a model of the TJARD building headquarters that was once a major bus station before they reconfigured it into a modern office building.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:13MorrisonsPingPongbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Shijie Du and Bruce Lee watch the Morrison brothers battle each other with a game of Ping Pong.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:14TongjiGuestHousebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Our first night was spent at Tonji University's Guest House.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:15EastNanjingbyJohnMorrison.JPG|450px|center]]
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We spent the afternoon along Shanghai's famous tourist street - East Nanjing Road. Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:16ShanghaiUrbanPlanningbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Shanghai's Urban Planning Center overlooking the People's Park.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:17ShanghaiUrbanbyJohnMorrison.jpg|450px|center]]
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Looking like the lost city of Oz, a group of skyscrapers greets visitors in the rotunda of the Shanghai Urban Planning Center.  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:18ShanghaiModelbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The incredible model of central Shanghai that also includes several bridge crossings of the Huangpu River.  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:19ShanghaiUrbanSkyscrapers.jpg|750px|center]]
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The model transitions into a night mode with colorful lighting on many of the iconic buildings.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:20LupuBridgeModel.jpg|750px|center]]
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The giant Lupu Bridge, once the world's longest arch with a span of 550 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:10Dongshuimen17 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:21ShanghaiModelOverview.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:11Dongshuimen21 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:22TongjiUniversityModel.jpg|750px|center]]
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They even included the Tongji University campus.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:23ShanghaiSkylinebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The top floor of the Shanghai Urban Planning Center has a great view of the Shanghai skyline.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:24ShanghaiBookstoreRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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We spent the later part of the afternoon strolling through several of Shanghai's best bookstores.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:ShanghaiBundbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The famous new Pudong financial skyscraper district as seen from the Bund.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:HongqiaoStationbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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A view of the cavernous new waiting hall of the Hongqiao High Speed Railway station.  Our adventure finally began on the morning of August 3rd with a trip between Hongqiao station in Shanghai and Hankou station in Wuhan.  China opened their first high speed line in 2007 and now have the largest high speed rail network in the world!  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:25HighSpeedTrainbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:26HighSpeedRailwayLeeChoong.jpg|750px|center]]
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World traveler Lee Choong has been to China many times but this was his first to visit bridges.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:27HongqqiaoAreaTrainsbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The huge train yard west of Hongqiao station.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:28HighSpeedMorrisons&Scott.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:Qianximen2.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:29ShanghaiApartmentsbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Qianximen crosses the Jialing River with just one central tower.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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One of the thousands of new apartment buildings along the route west of Shanghai.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:Qianximen5.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:30HighSpeedTrain&Bruce.jpg|750px|center]]
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Interpreter and Tongji bridge engineering student Li Xiaolong.  His name translates as 'Little Dragon'.  It is also the real name of famous martial arts legend Bruce Lee so Li picked that as his English name.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:31HighSpeedTrainbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Another high speed train heads east to Shanghai.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:32DamFromTrainbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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A dam and some beautiful scenery east of Nanjing city.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:33GroupHankouStation.jpg|750px|center]]
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Our group disembarks in Wuhan, 821 kilometers west of our start in Shanghai.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:34HankouBruceChenEricbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Our driver Mr. Chen met us in Wuhan after driving more then 1,200 kilometers from Guiyang city in Guizhou Province.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:35WuhanYangtzeRiverBridgeView.jpg|750px|center]]
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The great Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge looked spectacular from our hotel room at the Holiday Inn.  This was the very first large bridge to cross the Yangtze when it was completed in 1957. The giant road and rail bridge was the model by which the more famous First Nanjing Bridge was based on. Russian Bridge engineers assisted in the design of the double decker truss that carries 2 tracks of the Beijing-Guangzhou line on the bottom as well as 4 road lanes and 2 pedestrian walkways on the top.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:36WuhanYangtzeView.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:QianximenBuildings.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:37HanRiverArchbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Part of this beautiful group of buildings in going to have to be demolished for the south end of the Qianximen bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Not everyone's room directly faced the Yangtze River but the Morrisons got a nice view of the Han River arch bridge.  This is one of many CFST bridges in China where the arch ribs are steel tubes filled with concrete.  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:38WuhanYangtzebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:39WuhanYangtzeRailwayLines.jpg|750px|center]]
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The railway lines are in constant use day and night.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:40YingwuzhouBridgeWide.jpg|750px|center]]
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The soaring cables of the Yingwuzhou double span suspension bridge cross the Yangtze just 2 kilometers upstream from the famous railway bridge.  Each span is 850 meters supported by towers as high as 150 meters above the river.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
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[[File:JialingRiverMouth.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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The mouth of the Jialing River showing the water at full height some 177 meters above sea level.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
  
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[[File:41YingwuzhouBridgeAreabyRichard.jpg|450px|center]]
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The neighborhoold just south of the Yingwuzhou Bridge shows the strong contrast between the old and the new China with entire blocks of buildings being bulldozed over to make room for stylish new apartment buildings and malls.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
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[[File:12ChongqingBoatsByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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We decided to take a riverboat cruise that goes several kilometers up the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers.  The foreground boat is the most lavish with air conditioning and a fancy lobby.  Image by Jiang Changjiang
 
  
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[[File:42YingwuzhouArea&Morrisons.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Morrisons stroll through the mostly abandoned buildings whose days are numbered.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
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[[File:13ChongqingBoatGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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Image by Georges.
 
  
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[[File:43YingwuzhouAreaBuildingbyJohnMorrison.jpg|450px|center]]
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Room for rent with private walk-up entrance and partial views of the Yangtze River!  Image by John Morrison.
  
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Our cruise boat had no fancy chandeliers but the outdoor view was perfect.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
  
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[[File:44YingwuzhouTowerTop.jpg|750px|center]]
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The main cables of the Yingwuzhou Bridge had been completed just days before our arrival.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
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[[File:15ChaotianmenDragonBoat copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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A view of the deluxe boat complete with neon dragons and an ICBC bank sign.  ICBC became my ATM of choice for most of the trip.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
  
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[[File:45YingwuzhouCablebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Workers had just begun the process of adding the cable clamps that will support hundreds of vertical stringers required to hold the deck up.  Image by John Morrison.
  
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[[File:16JialingNightView copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:46YingwuzhouCables.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:47YingwuzhouWestTower&Shoreline.jpg|750px|center]]
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A big breakfast before our first full day of bridging! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The west end of the Yingwuzhou Bridge crosses over a riverfront park.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:48YingwuzhouCenterPierFromRailway.jpg|750px|center]]
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The central tower of the Yingwuzhou Bridge is made of steel while the two shoreline towers are made of concrete. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:18ShibanpoByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:49WuhanDinnerbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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We had all seen Shibanpo Bridge up close during the 2011 trip so we only did a quick photo stop in 2012.  The main beam span of 330 meters is the longest of its type in the world.  Image by Georges.
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Our first official dinner of the trip in Wuhan.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:19CaiyuanbaArchByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:50Morrisons&HanRiverBridge.jpg|750px|center]]
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Caiyuanba is another of many "Top 10ers" we would visit on the trip.  With a main span of 420 meters this is the world's 10th longest arch.  Image by Georges.
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The Morrisons take in another view of the Han River arch bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:51ChineseDancer&Richard.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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A dancer performs along the Han River waterfront.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:52HanRiver&Bruce.jpg|450px|center]]
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Bruce asks a local swimmer - Which way to Chongqing?  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:21EgongyanDriveOver copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:53YichangBridgeLonglens.jpg|750px|center]]
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With a span of 600 meters, E'gongyan is most notable for the tower tops with their signature suspension bridge "logo". Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Opened in 2001, the Yichang Bridge has one of the longest suspension spans in China at 960 meters and still ranks among the 35 longest spans in the world. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:22EgongyanLonglens copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:54YichangBridgebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:57WeijiazhoubyRichard.jpg |750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Weijiazhou Bridge was our first high span of the trip carrying the G50 expressway 220 meters above a deep gorge.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:24LijiatuoByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:55WideLoadbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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One of the earliest bridges in Chongqing, the Lijiatuo Bridge opened in 1995 with a main span of 444 meters.  Image by Georges.
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A wide load along the G50 expressway south of Yichang.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:25LijiatuoUnderside copy.jpg|450px|center]]
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[[File:56G50LongTunnelbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The underside of the deck is beginning to show its age.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The incredible G50 expressway in Hubei Province with more then 120 kilometers of tunneling including several monsters like this one that is over 8 kilometers long!  In less then 3 weeks, everyone on the trip had passed through more miles of tunnels then in all the previous years of their life combined.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:26LijiatuoUnderside.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:58LongtanheAreabyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The city of Langpingzhen was unusually quiet during our afternoon lunch visit.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:59LongtanheLunchbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Some locals live in makeshift buildings along the river banks below the Lijiatuo Bridge.  They don't have much but welcomed us in their homes.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Our second lunch of the trip in Langping town.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:28MasangxiGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:LongtanhebyJohnMorrison.jpg|450px|center]]
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Masangxi Bridge is just over 10 years old and has a main concrete deck span of 360 meters.  Image by Georges.
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The gargantuan Longtanhe Viaduct with 200 meter spans perched almost 200 meters above the valley floor.  This was the world's 2nd largest viaduct for several years behind France's Millau Viaduct.  China's own Chishi and Sanshuihe viaducts have recently pushed it further down to 4th place among all the world's viaducts but it is still an impressive site to behold.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:29MasangxiRiverView copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:60LongtanhebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:30MasangxiUnderside copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:61LongtanheMotorcycles.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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A pile of discarded bicycles and motorbikes near Langpingzhen.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:31MasangxiTowerTop copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:62TieluopingbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The only cable stayed bridge on the G50 east of the Yangtze River is the impressive Tieluoping Bridge with a height of 209 meters and a main span of 322 meters.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:63TieluopingAreaGroupbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Jiang Visits The River of His Family Name<br />
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A group photo near the Tieluoping Bridge along the older national road 318.   Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:32YudongJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
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With a Chinese name like Jiang Changjiang, you have to wonder what the odds are that such a person would be touring the bridges that cross a river with the same name.  Jiang's last name of "Changjiang" is the actual Chinese word for the Yangtze River!  Such a coincidence made me attempt to photograph Jiang in front of all 80 Yangtze bridge crossings. We did not quite succeed given Jiang had to leave the trip after the second full week but he still managed to stand in front of more then 50 Yangtze crossings.  Who knows, maybe someday Jiang will design a bridge that crosses the river that bears his family's name!  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
  
  
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[[File:33YudongRiverSpan copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:64ShunaghekoubyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Yudong Bridge might look ordinary but this bridge demands respect as it is the longest double span beam bridge on earth with two back to back concrete behemoths of 260 meters.  This is even more impressive when you consider a double track monorail metro line will be traveling down the center in 2013 to join the 8 highway lanes that opened in 2008.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The Shuanghekou Bridge on the G50 is most impressive for its piers which are 163 meters tall.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:65ShuanghekouAreaRailbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by www.huashphoto.com
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A railway train crosses the Shuanghekou creek.  The Yichang-Wanzhou Railway roughly parallels the G50 and is the most difficult stretch of railway line ever undertaken anywhere in the world.  No other railway line outside China has more then one bridge over 100 meters high - the Wanzhou line has six.  Of the 377 kilometer length, 288 kilometers are on bridges or in tunnels. Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:66SiduheWidebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The monorail metro approaches under construction just north of the Yudong Bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Siduhe in all its glory!  With a deck nearly 500 meters high, this is far and away the world's highest suspension bridge.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:36BaishatuoJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:67Siduhe&EricbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Baishatuo Railway Bridge is one of the oldest crossings of the Yangtze having opened in 1960.  The 2-track line is 825 meters long with 4 main truss spans of 80 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The giant yellow towers support a Tacoma-sized span of 900 meters.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:37BaishatuoLonglens2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:68Siduhe&Morrisons.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The Morrisons check out the center of the bridge which has a steel truss locking the deck to the main cables.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:38DiweiGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:69SiduheCenterbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Completed in 2004, the narrow Diwei cable stayed bridge is unusual in that it was built for a local mining operation and is not open for the public to use.  The main span is 345 meters. Image by Georges.
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The road deck is approximately 24 meters wide with 26 meters between the center of the cables.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:39DiweiDeck copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:SiduheGorge&DambyRichardScott.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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A new downstream dam approximately 70 meters high will create a huge lake under the Siduhe Bridge in 2014.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:40DiweiLonglens copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:70EricSiduhebyBruceLee.jpg|750px|center]]
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Two unmarked lanes carry nothing but truck traffic.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by Bruce Lee.
  
  
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[[File:DiweiTower.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:71ShuinanViaductbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Just east of Siduhe is the giant Shuinan Viaduct carrying the G50 expressway 110 meters above a wide ravine.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:41GuanyinyanGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:72SiduheBridgesbyBruceLee.jpg|750px|center]]
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One of the newest bridges across the Yangtze, the Guanyinyan is a wide, steel deck cable stayed bridge with a main span of 436 meters.  Image by Georges.
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A large pipeline bridge frames up a striking view of the Siduhe Bridge.  Image by Bruce Lee.
  
  
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[[File:42GuanyinyanSteelDeck2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:73SiduheLonglensbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The east Siduhe Bridge anchorage terminates into a deep mountain tunnel.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:43GuanyinyanYangtze copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:74SiduheWidebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Yangtze water level was unusually high from flooding in the days prior to our visit.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:44GuanyinyanByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:75YesanguanzhenHotel.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Jiang Changjiang.
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The Yesanguan city hotel more then 1,000 meters above sea level.  Note the odd building on the right where several new floors seem to be getting constructed on top of an older building.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:45FengangwuanByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:76EnshiHotelRoombyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Jiang Changjiang.
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Ray might look a little scared to move with good reason.  The Morrisons inadvertently knocked a mirror off their hotel room wall and sent it crashing to the floor!  Like many things in China, you have to watch every step you take as items are often poorly situated or attached with shoddy connections.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:46FenfangwuanWide copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:77HotelMirrorGlass.jpg|750px|center]]
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One of the world's longer span road and metro rail cable stayed bridges, the Fenfangwuan Bridge will be completed in 2013 with a main span of 464 meters or about the same length as the Alex Fraser and Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridges in North America.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The many shards of the Morrison mirror mishap.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:47FenfangwuanLonglens5 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:78YesanguanzhenDinner.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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A late dinner next to the main plaza in Yesanguan.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:48FenfangwuanDogCat copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:79YesanguanDinnerFamilybyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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This Yesanguan family was happy and surprised to see foreigners in their restaurant.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:49FenfangwuanWorker copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:80ZhijingheArch2013.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Currently the world's highest arch bridge at 292 meters, the concrete filled steel tubes of the Zhijinghe arch were mostly obscured in rain clouds.  The central span of 430 meters ranks it among the world's 12 longest arch spans.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:50FenfangwuanPieces copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:81YesanheBridge2013.jpg|750px|center]]
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The construction staging area below the Fenfangwuan Bridge had been flooded out just prior to our visit.  Large bridge sections were tossed around like toys and damaged.  Some pieces will probably be repaired while others might have to be completely re-manufactured.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The 200 meter span of the Yesanhe River G50 expressway bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:51FenfangwuanPieces2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:82YesanhePipelineBridge2013.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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One of several major bridges across the Yesanhe, this pipeline bridge is the latest high wire act with a span of 240 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:52FenfangwuanPoster copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:YesanhePipelinebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Fenfangwuan Bridge as it will look in 2013.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:53JiangjinBeam.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:YesanheRailwaybyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Jiangjin Bridge's main span of 240 meters is not unusual in China but ranks longer then almost any beam span outside of the country. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The Yesanhe Railway Bridge is one of the highest of its type in the world rising 140 meters above the tight river canyon. Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:54JiangjinBeamCenter.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:83YesanheArchLonglens2013.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The famous Yesanhe national road 318 bridge was the highest in China back when it opened in 1977 with a deck to river drop of 125 meters.  Today it would not even rank among China's 100 highest bridges.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:55BridgeG93.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:84MashuiheRailwayPierView.jpg|750px|center]]
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Many of the newest Yangtze Bridges are part of the G93 expressway which will go from Chongqing City to Yibin before drivers can continue further west to Chengdu and beyond.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The herculean central pier of the Mahuihe Railway bridge supports two beam spans of 116 meters along the Yichang-Wanzhou line.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:56HejiangArch3 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:85MashuiheStrutFrameView.jpg|750px|center]]
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Another "Top 10er", the new Hejiang arch leaps over the Yangtze with a humungous concrete filled steel tubular span of 500 meters.  This is just 10% less then the world's longest arches in Chongqing and Shanghai.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The local road crosses the Mashui River on this simple frame bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:57HejiangByJiang copy.jpg|450px|center]]
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[[File:86LongwangmiaoRailwayLonglens.jpg|750px|center]]
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The temporary highline towers are also impressive, rising as tall as a 50-story skyscraper.  Image by Jiang Changjiang.
+
The Longwangmiao Bridge is one of the 6 great beam bridges over 100 meters high on the Wanzhou line.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:58HejiangByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:93MashuiheLake&BoatbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Georges.
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To get a better view of the massive G50 Mashuihe Viaduct, we hailed down a boat going along the reservoir.  The locals were kind enough to wait out our 20 minute tour before the boat headed upstream to drop them off near their villages.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:59HejiangElevation copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:87MashuiheViaductBoat&Richard.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:60JiangChangjiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:90MashuiheBoatPeoplebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Also near Hejiang, this new G93 expressway crossing is impressive for its leap from a high bluff before crossing the Yangtze River on a 410 meter main span.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:61JiangChangjiangSide copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:91MashuiheBoatbyBruceLee.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Bruce Lee.
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[[File:MashuiheViaductWide2013.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:62JiangChangjiangLonglens copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:92MashuiheViaductBlockHouseCollapse.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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After we departed the Mashuihe boat landing, a wall of this makeshift cinder block building collapsed.  No one was hurt but it was a reminder of the dangers that lurk within the poor regions of Western China.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:89NanlidubyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Also crossing the Mashui River is the beautiful Nanlidu arch which carries the old national road 318 across a concrete filled steel tubular span of 220 meters.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:NanlidubyJohnMorrison.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:94EnshiHotelChairbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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These super-sized sofas were common in the lobbies of most Chinese hotels.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:95EnshiArchbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Constructed in 1970, the Enshi city Xiaoduchuan stone arch bridge over the Qingjiang River has a span of 96.8 meters, more then any stone bridge ever built in Europe except for one.  China is home to the world's 20 longest stone arch bridges.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:96EnshiQingjiangWaterLevelbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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An old piece of WWII ordinance plucked out of the river?  No, just a water level gauge.  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:97EnshiArchBelowbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Xiaoduchuan Bridge from below.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:63JiangChangjiangByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:EnshiSingleTowerbyBruceLee.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Georges.
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A single tower cable stayed bridge was built to bypass the older Xiaoduchuan stone arch bridge.  Image by Bruce Lee.
  
  
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[[File:64JiangChangjiangDeck2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:98EnshiMoneyGang.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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A group of Enshi locals was curious about us but most interested to see what our foreign money looks like.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:65Tai'anJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:99EnshiMoneyInspectionbyRichard.jpg|450px|center]]
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Jiang struts his stuff in front of the Tai'an Bridge, a rare single tower cable stayed crossing of the Yangtze with a span of 270 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
I would have given them a 1 dollar bill but I was not willing to depart with my 10 dollar bill.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:66Tai'anTower copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:100EnshiOverpassbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Enshi city intersection.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:67Tai'anCables2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:101EnshiSquareDancersbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The harp of cable stays are very closely spaced on the back span of Tai'an Bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The main plaza near the Qing Jiang River Bridge was crowded with dancers, a tradition that takes place in nearly every city in China.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:68Tai'anWide2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:102nshiBridgebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The beautiful multi-level bridge across the Qingjiang River.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:69Tai'anEricByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:EnshiBridgebyLeeChoong.jpeg|450px|center]]
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The local fishermen were more prepared to walk in the mud then we were.  Image by Georges.
+
Qingjiang Bridge image by Lee Choong.
  
  
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[[File:70Tai'anByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:103EnshiQingjiangBridgebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Jiang Changjiang.
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The Qingjiang Bridge as seen from Enshi city park.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:71BirdsGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:104EnshiSouthBeambyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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No shortage of ducks in China! Image by Georges.
+
The first of several high bridges under construction along the new highway between Enshi in Hubei and Qianjiang City in Chongqing. Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:72HuangyiYangtze copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:105EnshiSouthAccidentbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Nearly complete during our visit, the Huangyi Yangtze Bridge was so new the bridge already had construction trucks going across the deck.  The huge, 6-lane main span of 520 meters is larger then any cable stayed bridge in North America.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
One of many accidents we would encounter on the trip.  Supposedly the driver fell asleep.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:73HuangyiYangtze4 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:EnshiSouth-2BridgeView6.jpg|750px|center]]
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The uneven tower design has resulted in the south tower measuring a lofty 210 meters tall or about 86.5 meters taller then the 123.5 meter north side tower.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The second huge beam bridge along the Enshi-Qianjiang highway with piers over 100 meters tall.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:74HuangyiYangtzePiers copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:107LongBridgeRoadbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The curvilinear shape of the piers really adds to the beauty of this all concrete colossus. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The local road along the new highway was almost completely devoid of any concrete or asphalt making it one of the roughest 50 kilometers on the entire trip.  Even worse we had to take it back to Enshi after we visited the Long arch bridge. Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:75DucksByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:108LongArchLonglens.jpg|750px|center]]
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Brown ducks anyone? Image by Georges.
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The beautiful 268 meter main span of the Long arch bridge.  The main ribs are filled with concrete once the steel arch has been closed at the crown. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:76LuzhouBeamJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:109LongBridgeBeamsbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Luzhou Bridge is a rare type of bridge with the center third being a drop-in span.  The 3 central spans of 170 meters opened in 1982.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The box beam vertical spandrel supports were installed before the end of 2013.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:77LuzhouChineseUKGirl copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:110LongBridgeRailbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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A local Luzhou girl with a British flag handbag is surprised to see some foreigners, especially one from the U.K.! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
A temporary access road was constructed to transport the arch pieces and spandrel beams.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:78QiancaoExtradosed copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:111LongBridge&EricbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Extradosed bridges are rare outside of Japan.  Completed in 2011, the Qiancao is one of the largest of its type with a main span of 248 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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I enjoyed a quick tour up one of the arch ribs.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:79QiancaoJiangChen copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:114LongArch&Bruce.jpg|450px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:80QiancaoJiangRoger copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:115LongArchRichardBruce.jpg|450px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:81QiancaoDeck2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:113LongArch&Morrisons.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:82QiancaoFence copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:116ZhongjianheTowerTowersView.jpg|750px|center]]
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The flood currents on the Yangtze were so strong below the Qiancao Bridge that several handrail barriers were knocked over.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The beautiful Zongjianhe Bridge with slender towers 250 meters tall.  These rank among the 12 tallest bridge structures on earth exceeding any bridge in North America.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:117ZhongjianheLegsView.jpg|450px|center]]
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The cable stayed truss deck passes through the north tower approximately 140 meters above the ground.  The roadway surface will be 260 meters above the normal level of the Zhongjian River.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:118ZhongjianheBasebyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The base of each tower is supported on massive circular piles.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:119ZhongjianheTrussBeams.jpg|750px|center]]
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John Morrison said the quality of the truss beam welds was excellent.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:83LuzhouCityArea copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:120ZhongjianheTourbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The northern end of Luzhou City is a newer zone of upscale malls, skyscrapers and wide boulevards that are now typical of most Chinese cities where a huge migration is underway from the rural farming towns to the giant urban centers.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Several of us were lucky to get a hard hat tour up to the middle level of the north tower.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:84LuzhouRailwayByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:121ZhongjiangheElevatorbyJohnMorrison.jpg|450px|center]]
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The Luzhou Railway Bridge was completed in 2002 with 3 bulky prestressed beam spans of 144 meters.  Image by Jiang Changjiang.
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Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:85LuzhouRailLonglens copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:122ZhongjianheRichardBruce.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:86SecondLuzhouBeamJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:123ZhongjianheElevatorbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Completed in 2000 with a main span of 252 meters, the Second Luzhou Bridge had the longest beam span across the Yangtze river at that time.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:87Jiang'anJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:124ZhongjianheTowerbyBruceLee.jpg|450px|center]]
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Not to be outdone, the nearby city of Jiang'an made their 2008 Yangtze beam crossing with a span of 253 meters - 1 meter longer then Luzhou's! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
A view of the south tower from a point more then 250 meters above the reservoir. Image by Bruce Lee.
  
  
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[[File:88NanqiByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:125ZhongjianheTowerPlatform.jpg|750px|center]]
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With a suspension span of 820 meters, the Nanqi Bridge is the longest crossing of the Yangtze among the 45 bridges located upstream of the 3 Gorges Dam.  Image by Jiang Changjiang.
+
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:89NanqiWide2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:126ZhongjianheTrussEngineer&Richard.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:90NanqiAnchorage copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:127ZhongjianheGroupbyEngineer.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by Chief Bridge Engineer.
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[[File:128ZhongjianheTrussStagingArea.jpg|750px|center]]
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Zhongjianhe Bridge truss staging area.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:129QingjiangBridgebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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We finally got some clear views of the beautiful Qingjiang G50 expressway bridge from the older national road.  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:130QingjiangCarWashbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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One of many car washes our mini-van would get during the trip.  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:QingjiangG50byJohnMorrison.jpg|450px|center]]
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The Qingjiang G50 single tower cable stayed bridge.  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:131Richard&EricbyBruceLee.jpg|750px|center]]
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I often have to get in precarious positions to measure the height of a span such as this one on the Qingjiang G50 expressway bridge.  Image by Bruce Lee.
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[[File:132EnshiHotelButtonsbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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You could get almost anything you wanted in our Enshi hotel with just the push of a button!  Image by Richard Scott.
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[[File:133Enshi2ndDinnerbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Our second dinner in Enshi was at a buffet-style restaurant.  Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:134Enshi2ndDinnerRestaurantbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by John Morrison.
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[[File:135EnshiArchbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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During our second night in Enshi we visited the area below the colorful Qingjiang River arch bridge.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:91JinshaSteelArch copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:136QianjiangArchAreabyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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This steel arch in Yibin marks the first non-Yangtze river crossing where the remaining upstream portion of the Yangtze is officially called the Jinsha Jiang.  The Yangtze continues for well over a 1,000 more miles within mountainous provinces where bridge spans are generally under 100 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Another friendly Enshi family near the Qingjiang waterfront.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:92JinshaSteelArch3 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:137EnshiBreakfastbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Our breakfast in Enshi.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:93JinshaConcreteArch copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:XiaoheDeckbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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This concrete arch was the very first bridge to cross the Jinsha Jiang in the city of Yibin.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The Xiaohe arch bridge is another big CFST span with concrete inside the main ribs.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:94JinshaConcreteArch2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:138XiaohebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The Xiaohe Bridge valley more then 200 meters below.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:95JinshaYangtzeJunction2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:139QingjingRailwaySideView.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Min and Jinsha rivers meet in front of this flooded plaza which marks the official beginning of the "Changjiang" River known to foreigners at the Yangtze.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Another giant railway viaduct.  This one crosses the Qingjiang River on the new line spur from Enshi to Chonqging.  The line opened just before the end of 2013.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:96JinshaRailwayBridge copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:140WenxiBridgebyBruceLee.jpg|750px|center]]
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This large railway bridge and a nearby single tower cable stayed bridge mark the two most upstream crossings in the city of Yibin.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Wenxi Bridge was the first of 10 bridges over 100 meters high that we encountered along the Fengfu expressway that parallels the Yangtze River from the G50 expressway to the city of Fuling.  The highway opened at the end of 2013.  Image by Bruce Lee.
  
  
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[[File:97JinshaRailwayLonglens copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:141UnknownFengfuSingleSpan.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The second unknown beam bridge along the Fengfu expressway north of Fengdu city.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:98FootByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:142UnknownFengfu3BridgeWider.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Jiang Changjiang.
+
The third unknown beam bridge along the Fengfu expressway.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:99YibinJinshaTower copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:143UnknownFengfu4BridgeCenter.jpg|750px|center]]
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A Yibin local takes a bath at the base of this flooded riverfront tower. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The fourth unknown Fengfu expressway bridge.  The outside temperature at this point was around 40 degrees Celsius! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:100YibinBridge copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:144UnknownFengfu5BridgeSide.jpg|750px|center]]
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Completed in 2008, the Yibin cable stayed bridge is similar to Tai'an Bridge with very closely spaced stays.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The fifth unknown Fengfu expressway beam bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:101YibinJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:145UnknownFengfu6BridgeWide.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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The sixth unknown Fengfu expressway bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:102YibinPipelineBridge copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:146LongBridgeFengdu&Bruce.jpg|750px|center]]
−
Never before visited by foreigners, the Yibin Pipeline Bridge is one of only two such spans to cross the Yangtze (the other is a cable stayed pipeline bridge near Fuling).  The bridge carries 3 different sized pipes across a main span of 516 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Bruce poses in front of the giant Long bridge, the 7th and largest crossing of the beam bridges along the Fengfu highway.  The main span is 240 meters and rises 180 meters above the old Long River level.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:103YibinPipelineBridge2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:147Fengfu7LongBridgeWide.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:104YibinPipelineStays copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:Fengfu7LongBridgeSideImage.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
−
[[File:105YibinPipelineLonglensView.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:148JiuxigouWideView.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
We took an hour long detour to see the famous Jiuxigou stone arch bridge which had the longest stone arch span in the world upon its completion in 1972 with a length of 116 meters.  Today it ranks 3rd behind two other Chinese stone spans built in 1991 and 2001 over the Wuchaohe and Danhe rivers.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 +
 
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[[File:149JiuxigouEastHalf.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
A protective layer of concrete was put over the stone in recent years, taking away the classic look of the natural masonry bricks.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[File:150Fengdu2CableStayedbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The deep river piers of the Fengdu Second Yangtze River Bridge.  The main span of 680 meters will rank it among the world's 20 longest cable stayed spans.  Image by Richard Scott.
 +
 
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[[File:151FengdubyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The original Fengdu suspension bridge with a span of 450 meters.  Image by Richard Scott.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[File:152FengduCenterbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The Fengdu Bridge cable hangers are inclined.  Image by Richard Scott.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[File:153FengduSuspension&Richard.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
−
[[File:YibinPipelineRogerGeorges.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:154UnknownFengfu8Bridge.jpg|750px|center]]
−
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
An older national road arch bridge parallels the new Fengfu highway unknown beam bridge #8.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 +
 
 +
 
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[[File:155UnknownFengfu9BridgeCenter.jpg|750px|center]]
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The ninth unknown Fengfu highway beam bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 +
 
 +
 
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[[File:156UnknownFengfu10byJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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The tenth Fengfu expressway beam bridge.  Image by John Morrison.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[File:157HanjiatuobyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The new Hanjiatuo high speed railway bridge that opened at the end of 2013.  The main span is 432 meters.  Image by Richard Scott.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[File:158FulingYangtzePipeline.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The unusual cable stayed Fuling Yangtze River pipeline bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[File:159WujiangFulingArchLeeChoong.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The Fuling City arch bridge across the Wujiang River.  This 200 meter arch span was China's second major use of the rotation method where the two halves of the arch were built on either slope and then carefully swung out over the river where they were then closed at the crown.  The bridge was completed in 1989.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[[File:160FulingWaterfrontReconstruction.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
Fuling City Wujiang River waterfront reconstruction.  In the background is the 2009 Fuling Wujiang cable stayed bridge with a span of 340 meters supported by uneven towers.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:YibinPipelineTower3.jpg|450px|center]]
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[[File:161FulingWujiangViaduct.jpg|750px|center]]
−
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The group takes in a view of the Wujiang River near its confluence with the Yangtze River.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:106YibinTrailerWuling copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:162FulingWaterfrontbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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This truck measured an incredible 100 feet / 30 meters from end to end! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Fuling City waterfront park and music theater. Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
−
[[File:107YibinLongTruck copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:163FulingTreebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
−
The driver enjoys a rest in a hammock near the back end.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Group photo at Fuling City park where the Wu River meets the Yangtze River.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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<div style="font-size: 25px; text-align: center;">
+
[[File:164FulingBoybyBruceLee.jpg|450px|center]]
−
Jialing River Bridges<br />
+
Fuling park sculpture and roller skate boy.  Image by Bruce Lee.
−
</div>
 
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[[File:109ShimenTraffic copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
−
The Shimen Bridge was one of China's larger single tower cable stayed bridges when it was completed across the Jialing River in 1988 with two spans of 230 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
  
  
−
[[File:ShimenTower2.jpg|450px|center]]
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[[File:165FulingFirstCableStayed.jpg|750px|center]]
−
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The first crossing of the Yangtze at Fuling was in 1997 in the form of this 330 meter span cable stayed bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:110JialingBeam copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:166XinshuangxianbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Xinqiao Viaduct on the new high speed line that now makes it possible to go from Chonqging city to Shanghai.  The massive piers rise 114 meters and support a double line deck over 2 kilometers in length making it the world's second largest railway viaduct after the nearby Caijiagou Viaduct.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:111JialingBeam3 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:167XinshuangxianLonglensView.jpg|750px|center]]
−
One of several giant beam bridges over the Jialing within Chongqing City, this 240 meter span monster carries the G75 expressway.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Train testing began on the line just a few weeks after our visit with scheduled service available at the end of 2013.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:112ShuangbeiByJiang.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:168XinshuangxianPier&Deck.jpg|450px|center]]
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Shuangbei is the newest Jialing River road bridge with uneven towers supporting a main span of 330 meters.  Image by Jiang Changjiang.
+
The distinctive 人-shaped piers that support thousands of tons of steel and concrete more then 100 meters above the valley floor.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:113ShuangbeiGeorgesWash copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:169CaijiagouRailway2013View.jpg|750px|center]]
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Georges washes his shoes after stepping into the muddy riverbank.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The even larger Caijiagou Railway viaduct with its record breaking piers 139 meters tall.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:114ShuangbeiEricByGeorges.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:170Caijiagou2013Center.jpg|750px|center]]
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Minutes later I did the same thing with my left shoe! Image by Georges.
+
The central span of 144 meters perched atop the 2 super-sized piers. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:115CaijiajialingMetroGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:171Caijiagou&HighwayBridges.jpg|750px|center]]
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On the northern outskirts of Chongqing City the new Caijiajialing Bridge is now the highest metro line bridge in the world carrying line 6 some 100 meters above the Jialing River.  The narrow span measures 250 meters. Image by Georges.
+
Three generations of Caijiagou bridges!  
  
  
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[[File:116CaijiajialingMetroTowers copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:CaijiagouBruce&Richard.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:117CaijiajialingMetroTunnels copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:172Caijiagou&Morrisons.jpg|450px|center]]
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The egg-shaped tunnels were required to accommodate the extra height of the elevated "mono" rail.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:118JiayueLonglens2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:173QiancobeibyRayMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Jiayue was the second big extradosed bridge of the trip with a main span of 250 meters.  The elegant Y-shaped towers and slender deck are the handiwork of the famous engineering firm of T.Y. Lin International.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The new Qiancaobei suspension bridge slated to open at the end of 2013.  The main span is 788 meters.  Image by Ray Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:119JiayueEricJiangByGeorges copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:174QingcaobeiCableSaddle.jpg|750px|center]]
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A pedestrian walkway under the road deck made for a nice stroll 80 meters above the river.  Image by Georges.
+
The huge Qingcaobei Bridge saddle.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:120Jiayue24 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:175QingcaobeiRichard&Cables.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:121Jiayue28 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:176QingcaobeiWallAnchor.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:122NearJiayue13 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:177QiancobeiAnchoragebyBruceLee.jpg|750px|center]]
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This new road viaduct near the Jiayue Bridge paralleled yet another metro line going north out of Chongqing City.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Image by Bruce Lee.
  
  
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[[File:123NearJiayue7 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:178Qingcaobei&RichardScott.jpg|450px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:124NearJiayuePiers copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:179QingcaobeiLonglens.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The sleek box beam deck of the Qingcaobei Bridge is more then 100 meters above the Yangtze River.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:180QingcaobeiSideView.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:125JialingRailwayBeam copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:181FulingChongqingBeam1BridgeSide.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Jialing River gorge has an impressive lineup of road and rail bridges near the city of Beibei.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The first of 3 high beam bridges known as Chayuanxi Bridge along a new highway between Fuling and Chongqing on the south side of the Yangtze River.  The beam span of 130 meters is approximately 83 meters high.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 +
 
  
 +
[[File:182FulingChongqingBeam2BridgeSide.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
Also 83 meters high with a 130 meter main span is the Liangshuijing Bridge, the second beam bridge between Fuling and Chongqing.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
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[[File:126JialingRailwayByJiang copy.jpg|750px|center]]
 
−
Image by Jiang Changjiang.
 
  
 +
[[File:183FulingChongqingBeam3BridgeSideView.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
Lixiangxi is the 3rd big beam bridge between Fuling and Chongqing.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
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[[File:127JialingRailwayBeam4 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:184FulingChongqingBeam3BridgeElevation.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
Lixiangxi has the largest span of all at 180 meters resting approximately 105 meters above the Youjiang River.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:185FulingChongqingBeam3BridgeArea.jpg|750px|center]]
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Construction area below the Lixiangxi Bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:186FulingChongqingBeam3BridgeWide.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Lixiangxi Bridge crosses over a tributary of the Yangtze.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:128JialingRailwayTruss2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:187FulingMallDinnerbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The older Jialing River Railway Bridge was undergoing a major rehab during our visit.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Our second dinner in Fuling city was at a nice steak restaurant.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:129JialingRailwayTruss5 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:188WujiangFulingCableStayed.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The greatest of the new Fengfu expressway bridges is this cable stayed crossing of the Wujiang River with a main span of 320 meters and towers over 200 and 205 meters tall.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:130JialingRailwayByJiang2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:189ChaotianmenBridge&Wang.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Jiang Changjiang.
+
Our bridge day in Chongqing City was made with bridge fan and Chongqing resident Wang who met us at the west end of the Chaotianmen arch bridge.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:131JialingRailwayBeam9 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:190ChongqingbyRichard.jpg|750px|center]]
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The newest railway bridge probably carries a high speed railway line.  The main span of approximately 176 meters is likely among the top 10 longest concrete railway beam spans on earth.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The Chongqing city skyline as seen from the Chaotianmen arch bridge.  Image by Richard Scott.
  
  
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[[File:132JialingSuspension10 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:191Chaotianmen&Morrisons.jpg|750px|center]]
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This obsolete suspension bridge with 4 main offset cables was recently bypassed by an arch bridge.  The central span is approximately 190 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The massive arch of Chaotianmen is the largest in the world at 552 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:133JialingSuspension6 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:192ChaotianmenMainArch.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
 
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:134JialingSuspension14 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:ChaotianmenbyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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Image by John Morrison.
 +
 
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[[File:Wang&EricbyJohnMorrison.jpg|450px|center]]
 +
Bridge fan Wang and Eric.  Image by John Morrison.
 +
 
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[[File:ChongqingCitybyLeeChoong.jpeg|750px|center]]
 +
A view of the Chongqing skyline in our hotel.  Chaotianmen Bridge can just barely be seen on the right and Caiyuanba arch bridge can just barely be seen on the left.  Image by Lee Choong.
 +
 
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[[File:193JialingSingleTower2013.jpg|750px|center]]
 +
The new Jialing River single tower cable stayed Qianximen Bridge was almost complete and supports a new metro line.  To the right is the new Chongqing opera house overlooking the confluence of the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:135JialingSuspension13 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:194ChongqingCableStayedTrussView.jpg|750px|center]]
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The practice of using a stylish front door on an outdoor wall is not uncommon in China! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The double tower Dongshuimen metro line bridge leaps across the Yangtze with a central main span of 445 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:136JialingSuspension12 copy.jpg|450px|center]]
+
[[File:195Chongqing&BridgebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
Dongshuimen has just 9 cable stays on either tower.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:137JialingArch5 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:196Shibanpo2013View.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
A view of the side by side Shibanpo Bridges.  The newer bridge has the world's largest beam span of 330 meters with the middle third comprised of steel that was raised into place from a boat on the Yangtze River.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:138JialingArchLeft2 copy.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:197Shibanpo&JohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Can you count all 6 Jialing Bridge crossings? Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The Shibanpo Bridge in the background with our driver Mr. Chen and John Morrison snapping photos of the Caiyuanba arch bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:139JialingArchWide copy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:200CaiyuanbaBridgebyJohnMorrison.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The through-arch Caiyuanba bridge with a main span of 420 meters.  The basket handle arch carries a double track monorail metro line on the bottom and 6 lanes of highway on the top.  Image by John Morrison.
  
  
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[[File:140JialingG5001RingHwy.jpg|750px|center]]
+
[[File:198Egongyan2013.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Jialing River G5001 Ring Highway Bridge has a central span of 240 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
+
The E'gongyan Bridge was the first long span crossing in Chongqing City, opening in 2000 with a main span of 600 meters.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
 
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
 
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
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Click on Page 2 for Week Two with views of the 3 Gorges Area Bridges and More!<br />
+
Click on Page 2 for Week Two with views of the Zhangjiajie Area Bridges and More!<br />
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
<div style="text-align: center; border: 1px LightSkyBlue; background: LightSkyBlue; margin: 5px;">
 
<div style="text-align: center; border: 1px LightSkyBlue; background: LightSkyBlue; margin: 5px;">
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This entry has 3 pages: [[2012 High Bridge Trip Photo Album|1]] | [[2012 High Bridge Trip Photo Album/Week 2|2]] | [[2012 High Bridge Trip Photo Album/Week 3|3]]</div>
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This entry has 3 pages: [[2013 High Bridge Trip Photo Album|1]] | [[2013 High Bridge Trip Photo Album/Week 2|2]] | [[2013 High Bridge Trip Photo Album/Week 3|3]]</div>

Latest revision as of 20:41, 30 March 2015

2013 China High Bridge Trip Photo Album
Hubei and Chongqing Provinces


The 3-week 2013 High Bridge trip was another grand adventure through the mountains of Western China to visit the world's 10 highest bridges as well as many other spans and several spectacular national parks. Our guests included 3 retirees made up of British dentist Lee Choong and engineering twins John and Ray Morrison of Australia. Rounding out the group of bridge fans was Canadian 'In the Wake of Tacoma' bridge book author Richard Scott. Our translator was yet another energetic Tongji University bridge engineering student with the famous name of Bruce Lee. On board for the second year in a row was our trusty driver Mr. Chen who navigated us safely along more then 2,000 miles / 3,500 kilometers of often crazy roads.

If there was one word to describe the 2013 trip it would be HOT! Record temperatures were being broken throughout many parts of China during our 3 week trek and it often made it difficult to want to get out of the comfortable confines of our air conditioned mini-van to snap some photos of a bridge. Luckily our group of gray-haired grandpas were up for anything and never hesitated or showed fear to visit any bridge I wanted to visit whether it required dodging highway traffic, climbing over a wall, hopping on a boat, hiking along a creek or taking a concrete slide down into a canyon.

Our new rental car held up well as it was put through an unusually high amount of abuse along more miles of rough, bumpy and broken roads than all of my previous China trips combined. The weather was only sunny half the time but we did manage to evade any rain for nearly the entire trip. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food even if they did not always know what kind of vegetable they were eating but by the end of the trip we all knew what kinds of meats we liked or wanted to avoid.

We are eternally gratefull to the Chinese engineers and authorities we met who were kind, generous and always willing to let us climb on their bridges like children in a playground. These surprise tours took us above and below some of the most amazing spans in the history of bridge construction including an elevator ride up one of the world's tallest bridge towers, a walk through one of the world's largest suspension bridge trusses and a precarious hike across a chicken-wire footbridge nearly 300 meters high. A special thanks to Liupanshui County engineer Zhou Ping and the wonderful Chen family who treated us like royalty in their own personal kingdom - the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Park. Finally a thanks to all the Chinese locals who were always friendly and often curious as to why we would travel halfway around the world to visit their remote town or bridge.

Look for an even more exciting Chinese adventure in 2014 when we visit more than 75 of the world's highest spans including construction site visits to the highest road and railway bridges on earth!


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The special spans visited during the first week included Yingwuzhou, Siduhe, Zhijinghe, Tieluoping, Longtanhe, Shuanghekou, Xiaohe, Caijiagou and Qiancaobei Bridges as well as a visit to Western China's most populous city of Chongqing where the world's longest span arch and beam bridges reside in the form of Chaotianmen and Shibanpo.


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Our first meal together at a great dumpling restaurant near Tongji University. On the left is Richard Scott with twin brothers Ray and John Morrison. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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All of my China trips seem to begin at Tongji University in Shangahi which has the best and most extensive bridge engineering courses of any school in China. Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by John Morrison.


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Tongji also has China's only Bridge Engineering library with hundreds of unique journals and books that can only be found here. Image by John Morrison.


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The Shanghai Tower had just had just been topped out in August as the world's 2nd tallest skyscraper. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Our pre-trip day in Shanghai included a visit to Tongji University where scaled down versions of China's tallest skyscrapers are tested for earthquake resilience on giant shake tables. Image by Richard Scott.


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The Shanghai Tower on the left surpassed the Shanghai World Financial Center on the right to become China's tallest skyscraper. Others will surpass both of them in the years to come. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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I have known bridge engineer Shijie Du for more then 8 years since our first bridge trip in 2006. He now works across the street from Tongji University at the famous Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute. He gave us an evening tour of the modern building where many of the firms architectural models are on display including the new 121-story Shanghai Tower. Image by Richard Scott.


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There is even a model of the TJARD building headquarters that was once a major bus station before they reconfigured it into a modern office building. Image by Richard Scott.


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Shijie Du and Bruce Lee watch the Morrison brothers battle each other with a game of Ping Pong. Image by Richard Scott.


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Our first night was spent at Tonji University's Guest House. Image by Richard Scott.


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We spent the afternoon along Shanghai's famous tourist street - East Nanjing Road. Image by John Morrison.


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Shanghai's Urban Planning Center overlooking the People's Park. Image by Richard Scott.


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Looking like the lost city of Oz, a group of skyscrapers greets visitors in the rotunda of the Shanghai Urban Planning Center. Image by John Morrison.


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The incredible model of central Shanghai that also includes several bridge crossings of the Huangpu River. Image by John Morrison.


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The model transitions into a night mode with colorful lighting on many of the iconic buildings. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The giant Lupu Bridge, once the world's longest arch with a span of 550 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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They even included the Tongji University campus. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The top floor of the Shanghai Urban Planning Center has a great view of the Shanghai skyline. Image by Richard Scott.


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We spent the later part of the afternoon strolling through several of Shanghai's best bookstores. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The famous new Pudong financial skyscraper district as seen from the Bund. Image by Richard Scott.


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A view of the cavernous new waiting hall of the Hongqiao High Speed Railway station. Our adventure finally began on the morning of August 3rd with a trip between Hongqiao station in Shanghai and Hankou station in Wuhan. China opened their first high speed line in 2007 and now have the largest high speed rail network in the world! Image by John Morrison.


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Image by Richard Scott.


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World traveler Lee Choong has been to China many times but this was his first to visit bridges. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The huge train yard west of Hongqiao station. Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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One of the thousands of new apartment buildings along the route west of Shanghai. Image by Richard Scott.


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Interpreter and Tongji bridge engineering student Li Xiaolong. His name translates as 'Little Dragon'. It is also the real name of famous martial arts legend Bruce Lee so Li picked that as his English name. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Another high speed train heads east to Shanghai. Image by Richard Scott.


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A dam and some beautiful scenery east of Nanjing city. Image by Richard Scott.


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Our group disembarks in Wuhan, 821 kilometers west of our start in Shanghai. Image by Richard Scott.


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Our driver Mr. Chen met us in Wuhan after driving more then 1,200 kilometers from Guiyang city in Guizhou Province. Image by Richard Scott.


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The great Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge looked spectacular from our hotel room at the Holiday Inn. This was the very first large bridge to cross the Yangtze when it was completed in 1957. The giant road and rail bridge was the model by which the more famous First Nanjing Bridge was based on. Russian Bridge engineers assisted in the design of the double decker truss that carries 2 tracks of the Beijing-Guangzhou line on the bottom as well as 4 road lanes and 2 pedestrian walkways on the top. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Not everyone's room directly faced the Yangtze River but the Morrisons got a nice view of the Han River arch bridge. This is one of many CFST bridges in China where the arch ribs are steel tubes filled with concrete. Image by John Morrison.


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Image by Richard Scott.


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The railway lines are in constant use day and night. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The soaring cables of the Yingwuzhou double span suspension bridge cross the Yangtze just 2 kilometers upstream from the famous railway bridge. Each span is 850 meters supported by towers as high as 150 meters above the river. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The neighborhoold just south of the Yingwuzhou Bridge shows the strong contrast between the old and the new China with entire blocks of buildings being bulldozed over to make room for stylish new apartment buildings and malls. Image by Richard Scott.


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The Morrisons stroll through the mostly abandoned buildings whose days are numbered. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Room for rent with private walk-up entrance and partial views of the Yangtze River! Image by John Morrison.


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The main cables of the Yingwuzhou Bridge had been completed just days before our arrival. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Workers had just begun the process of adding the cable clamps that will support hundreds of vertical stringers required to hold the deck up. Image by John Morrison.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The west end of the Yingwuzhou Bridge crosses over a riverfront park. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The central tower of the Yingwuzhou Bridge is made of steel while the two shoreline towers are made of concrete. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Our first official dinner of the trip in Wuhan. Image by Richard Scott.


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The Morrisons take in another view of the Han River arch bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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A dancer performs along the Han River waterfront. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Bruce asks a local swimmer - Which way to Chongqing? Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Opened in 2001, the Yichang Bridge has one of the longest suspension spans in China at 960 meters and still ranks among the 35 longest spans in the world. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by John Morrison.


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Weijiazhou Bridge was our first high span of the trip carrying the G50 expressway 220 meters above a deep gorge. Image by Richard Scott.


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A wide load along the G50 expressway south of Yichang. Image by Richard Scott.


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The incredible G50 expressway in Hubei Province with more then 120 kilometers of tunneling including several monsters like this one that is over 8 kilometers long! In less then 3 weeks, everyone on the trip had passed through more miles of tunnels then in all the previous years of their life combined. Image by Richard Scott.


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The city of Langpingzhen was unusually quiet during our afternoon lunch visit. Image by Richard Scott.


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Our second lunch of the trip in Langping town. Image by John Morrison.


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The gargantuan Longtanhe Viaduct with 200 meter spans perched almost 200 meters above the valley floor. This was the world's 2nd largest viaduct for several years behind France's Millau Viaduct. China's own Chishi and Sanshuihe viaducts have recently pushed it further down to 4th place among all the world's viaducts but it is still an impressive site to behold. Image by John Morrison.


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Image by Richard Scott.


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A pile of discarded bicycles and motorbikes near Langpingzhen. Image by Richard Scott.


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The only cable stayed bridge on the G50 east of the Yangtze River is the impressive Tieluoping Bridge with a height of 209 meters and a main span of 322 meters. Image by Richard Scott.


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A group photo near the Tieluoping Bridge along the older national road 318. Image by John Morrison.


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The Shuanghekou Bridge on the G50 is most impressive for its piers which are 163 meters tall. Image by Richard Scott.


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A railway train crosses the Shuanghekou creek. The Yichang-Wanzhou Railway roughly parallels the G50 and is the most difficult stretch of railway line ever undertaken anywhere in the world. No other railway line outside China has more then one bridge over 100 meters high - the Wanzhou line has six. Of the 377 kilometer length, 288 kilometers are on bridges or in tunnels. Image by Richard Scott.


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Siduhe in all its glory! With a deck nearly 500 meters high, this is far and away the world's highest suspension bridge. Image by Richard Scott.


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The giant yellow towers support a Tacoma-sized span of 900 meters. Image by Richard Scott.


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The Morrisons check out the center of the bridge which has a steel truss locking the deck to the main cables. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The road deck is approximately 24 meters wide with 26 meters between the center of the cables. Image by Richard Scott.


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A new downstream dam approximately 70 meters high will create a huge lake under the Siduhe Bridge in 2014. Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by Bruce Lee.


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Just east of Siduhe is the giant Shuinan Viaduct carrying the G50 expressway 110 meters above a wide ravine. Image by John Morrison.


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A large pipeline bridge frames up a striking view of the Siduhe Bridge. Image by Bruce Lee.


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The east Siduhe Bridge anchorage terminates into a deep mountain tunnel. Image by John Morrison.


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Image by John Morrison.


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The Yesanguan city hotel more then 1,000 meters above sea level. Note the odd building on the right where several new floors seem to be getting constructed on top of an older building. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Ray might look a little scared to move with good reason. The Morrisons inadvertently knocked a mirror off their hotel room wall and sent it crashing to the floor! Like many things in China, you have to watch every step you take as items are often poorly situated or attached with shoddy connections. Image by John Morrison.


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The many shards of the Morrison mirror mishap. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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A late dinner next to the main plaza in Yesanguan. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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This Yesanguan family was happy and surprised to see foreigners in their restaurant. Image by Richard Scott.


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Currently the world's highest arch bridge at 292 meters, the concrete filled steel tubes of the Zhijinghe arch were mostly obscured in rain clouds. The central span of 430 meters ranks it among the world's 12 longest arch spans. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The 200 meter span of the Yesanhe River G50 expressway bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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One of several major bridges across the Yesanhe, this pipeline bridge is the latest high wire act with a span of 240 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by John Morrison.


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The Yesanhe Railway Bridge is one of the highest of its type in the world rising 140 meters above the tight river canyon. Image by John Morrison.


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The famous Yesanhe national road 318 bridge was the highest in China back when it opened in 1977 with a deck to river drop of 125 meters. Today it would not even rank among China's 100 highest bridges. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The herculean central pier of the Mahuihe Railway bridge supports two beam spans of 116 meters along the Yichang-Wanzhou line. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The local road crosses the Mashui River on this simple frame bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The Longwangmiao Bridge is one of the 6 great beam bridges over 100 meters high on the Wanzhou line. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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To get a better view of the massive G50 Mashuihe Viaduct, we hailed down a boat going along the reservoir. The locals were kind enough to wait out our 20 minute tour before the boat headed upstream to drop them off near their villages. Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by Bruce Lee.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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After we departed the Mashuihe boat landing, a wall of this makeshift cinder block building collapsed. No one was hurt but it was a reminder of the dangers that lurk within the poor regions of Western China. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Also crossing the Mashui River is the beautiful Nanlidu arch which carries the old national road 318 across a concrete filled steel tubular span of 220 meters. Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by John Morrison.


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These super-sized sofas were common in the lobbies of most Chinese hotels. Image by Richard Scott.


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Constructed in 1970, the Enshi city Xiaoduchuan stone arch bridge over the Qingjiang River has a span of 96.8 meters, more then any stone bridge ever built in Europe except for one. China is home to the world's 20 longest stone arch bridges. Image by Richard Scott.


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An old piece of WWII ordinance plucked out of the river? No, just a water level gauge. Image by John Morrison.


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The Xiaoduchuan Bridge from below. Image by Richard Scott.


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A single tower cable stayed bridge was built to bypass the older Xiaoduchuan stone arch bridge. Image by Bruce Lee.


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A group of Enshi locals was curious about us but most interested to see what our foreign money looks like. Image by Richard Scott.


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I would have given them a 1 dollar bill but I was not willing to depart with my 10 dollar bill. Image by Richard Scott.


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Enshi city intersection. Image by Richard Scott.


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The main plaza near the Qing Jiang River Bridge was crowded with dancers, a tradition that takes place in nearly every city in China. Image by John Morrison.


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The beautiful multi-level bridge across the Qingjiang River. Image by John Morrison.


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Qingjiang Bridge image by Lee Choong.


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The Qingjiang Bridge as seen from Enshi city park. Image by Richard Scott.


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The first of several high bridges under construction along the new highway between Enshi in Hubei and Qianjiang City in Chongqing. Image by Richard Scott.


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One of many accidents we would encounter on the trip. Supposedly the driver fell asleep. Image by Richard Scott.


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The second huge beam bridge along the Enshi-Qianjiang highway with piers over 100 meters tall. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The local road along the new highway was almost completely devoid of any concrete or asphalt making it one of the roughest 50 kilometers on the entire trip. Even worse we had to take it back to Enshi after we visited the Long arch bridge. Image by Richard Scott.


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The beautiful 268 meter main span of the Long arch bridge. The main ribs are filled with concrete once the steel arch has been closed at the crown. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The box beam vertical spandrel supports were installed before the end of 2013. Image by John Morrison.


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A temporary access road was constructed to transport the arch pieces and spandrel beams. Image by John Morrison.


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I enjoyed a quick tour up one of the arch ribs. Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The beautiful Zongjianhe Bridge with slender towers 250 meters tall. These rank among the 12 tallest bridge structures on earth exceeding any bridge in North America. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The cable stayed truss deck passes through the north tower approximately 140 meters above the ground. The roadway surface will be 260 meters above the normal level of the Zhongjian River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The base of each tower is supported on massive circular piles. Image by Richard Scott.


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John Morrison said the quality of the truss beam welds was excellent. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Several of us were lucky to get a hard hat tour up to the middle level of the north tower. Image by John Morrison.


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Image by John Morrison.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Richard Scott.


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A view of the south tower from a point more then 250 meters above the reservoir. Image by Bruce Lee.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Chief Bridge Engineer.


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Zhongjianhe Bridge truss staging area. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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We finally got some clear views of the beautiful Qingjiang G50 expressway bridge from the older national road. Image by John Morrison.


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One of many car washes our mini-van would get during the trip. Image by Richard Scott.


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The Qingjiang G50 single tower cable stayed bridge. Image by John Morrison.


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I often have to get in precarious positions to measure the height of a span such as this one on the Qingjiang G50 expressway bridge. Image by Bruce Lee.


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You could get almost anything you wanted in our Enshi hotel with just the push of a button! Image by Richard Scott.


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Our second dinner in Enshi was at a buffet-style restaurant. Image by John Morrison.


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Image by John Morrison.


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During our second night in Enshi we visited the area below the colorful Qingjiang River arch bridge. Image by John Morrison.


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Another friendly Enshi family near the Qingjiang waterfront. Image by Richard Scott.


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Our breakfast in Enshi. Image by John Morrison.


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The Xiaohe arch bridge is another big CFST span with concrete inside the main ribs. Image by Richard Scott.


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The Xiaohe Bridge valley more then 200 meters below. Image by John Morrison.


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Another giant railway viaduct. This one crosses the Qingjiang River on the new line spur from Enshi to Chonqging. The line opened just before the end of 2013. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Wenxi Bridge was the first of 10 bridges over 100 meters high that we encountered along the Fengfu expressway that parallels the Yangtze River from the G50 expressway to the city of Fuling. The highway opened at the end of 2013. Image by Bruce Lee.


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The second unknown beam bridge along the Fengfu expressway north of Fengdu city. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The third unknown beam bridge along the Fengfu expressway. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The fourth unknown Fengfu expressway bridge. The outside temperature at this point was around 40 degrees Celsius! Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The fifth unknown Fengfu expressway beam bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The sixth unknown Fengfu expressway bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Bruce poses in front of the giant Long bridge, the 7th and largest crossing of the beam bridges along the Fengfu highway. The main span is 240 meters and rises 180 meters above the old Long River level. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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We took an hour long detour to see the famous Jiuxigou stone arch bridge which had the longest stone arch span in the world upon its completion in 1972 with a length of 116 meters. Today it ranks 3rd behind two other Chinese stone spans built in 1991 and 2001 over the Wuchaohe and Danhe rivers. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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A protective layer of concrete was put over the stone in recent years, taking away the classic look of the natural masonry bricks. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The deep river piers of the Fengdu Second Yangtze River Bridge. The main span of 680 meters will rank it among the world's 20 longest cable stayed spans. Image by Richard Scott.


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The original Fengdu suspension bridge with a span of 450 meters. Image by Richard Scott.


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The Fengdu Bridge cable hangers are inclined. Image by Richard Scott.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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An older national road arch bridge parallels the new Fengfu highway unknown beam bridge #8. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The ninth unknown Fengfu highway beam bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The tenth Fengfu expressway beam bridge. Image by John Morrison.


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The new Hanjiatuo high speed railway bridge that opened at the end of 2013. The main span is 432 meters. Image by Richard Scott.


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The unusual cable stayed Fuling Yangtze River pipeline bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The Fuling City arch bridge across the Wujiang River. This 200 meter arch span was China's second major use of the rotation method where the two halves of the arch were built on either slope and then carefully swung out over the river where they were then closed at the crown. The bridge was completed in 1989. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Fuling City Wujiang River waterfront reconstruction. In the background is the 2009 Fuling Wujiang cable stayed bridge with a span of 340 meters supported by uneven towers. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The group takes in a view of the Wujiang River near its confluence with the Yangtze River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Fuling City waterfront park and music theater. Image by Richard Scott.


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Group photo at Fuling City park where the Wu River meets the Yangtze River. Image by John Morrison.


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Fuling park sculpture and roller skate boy. Image by Bruce Lee.


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The first crossing of the Yangtze at Fuling was in 1997 in the form of this 330 meter span cable stayed bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Xinqiao Viaduct on the new high speed line that now makes it possible to go from Chonqging city to Shanghai. The massive piers rise 114 meters and support a double line deck over 2 kilometers in length making it the world's second largest railway viaduct after the nearby Caijiagou Viaduct. Image by John Morrison.


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Train testing began on the line just a few weeks after our visit with scheduled service available at the end of 2013. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The distinctive 人-shaped piers that support thousands of tons of steel and concrete more then 100 meters above the valley floor. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The even larger Caijiagou Railway viaduct with its record breaking piers 139 meters tall. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The central span of 144 meters perched atop the 2 super-sized piers. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Three generations of Caijiagou bridges!


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The new Qiancaobei suspension bridge slated to open at the end of 2013. The main span is 788 meters. Image by Ray Morrison.


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The huge Qingcaobei Bridge saddle. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Bruce Lee.


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The sleek box beam deck of the Qingcaobei Bridge is more then 100 meters above the Yangtze River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The first of 3 high beam bridges known as Chayuanxi Bridge along a new highway between Fuling and Chongqing on the south side of the Yangtze River. The beam span of 130 meters is approximately 83 meters high. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Also 83 meters high with a 130 meter main span is the Liangshuijing Bridge, the second beam bridge between Fuling and Chongqing. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Lixiangxi is the 3rd big beam bridge between Fuling and Chongqing. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Lixiangxi has the largest span of all at 180 meters resting approximately 105 meters above the Youjiang River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Construction area below the Lixiangxi Bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The Lixiangxi Bridge crosses over a tributary of the Yangtze. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Our second dinner in Fuling city was at a nice steak restaurant. Image by Richard Scott.


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The greatest of the new Fengfu expressway bridges is this cable stayed crossing of the Wujiang River with a main span of 320 meters and towers over 200 and 205 meters tall. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Our bridge day in Chongqing City was made with bridge fan and Chongqing resident Wang who met us at the west end of the Chaotianmen arch bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The Chongqing city skyline as seen from the Chaotianmen arch bridge. Image by Richard Scott.


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The massive arch of Chaotianmen is the largest in the world at 552 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Image by John Morrison.


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Bridge fan Wang and Eric. Image by John Morrison.


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A view of the Chongqing skyline in our hotel. Chaotianmen Bridge can just barely be seen on the right and Caiyuanba arch bridge can just barely be seen on the left. Image by Lee Choong.


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The new Jialing River single tower cable stayed Qianximen Bridge was almost complete and supports a new metro line. To the right is the new Chongqing opera house overlooking the confluence of the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The double tower Dongshuimen metro line bridge leaps across the Yangtze with a central main span of 445 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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Dongshuimen has just 9 cable stays on either tower. Image by John Morrison.


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A view of the side by side Shibanpo Bridges. The newer bridge has the world's largest beam span of 330 meters with the middle third comprised of steel that was raised into place from a boat on the Yangtze River. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The Shibanpo Bridge in the background with our driver Mr. Chen and John Morrison snapping photos of the Caiyuanba arch bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


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The through-arch Caiyuanba bridge with a main span of 420 meters. The basket handle arch carries a double track monorail metro line on the bottom and 6 lanes of highway on the top. Image by John Morrison.


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The E'gongyan Bridge was the first long span crossing in Chongqing City, opening in 2000 with a main span of 600 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


Click on Page 2 for Week Two with views of the Zhangjiajie Area Bridges and More!

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