Guozigou Bridge

Guozigou Bridge
果子沟大桥
Lucaogouzhen, Xinjiang, China
591 feet high / 180 meters high
1,181 foot span / 360 meter span
2011

The highest cable stayed bridge in far Western China, the Guozigou may also be the most remote large sized cable stayed span in the world. Located in China’s largest and most northwesterly province of Xinjiang, the 4-lane structure consists of two extremely tall H-frame ladder towers 215.5 meters / 707 feet and 209.5 meters 687 feet. The crossing is the largest structure on the remote G30 Lianhuo Expressway connecting Lianyungang and Horgos near Sayram Lake.

The Guozigou Bridge has a main span configuration of 170+360+170 meters. The deck is composed of an N-shaped truss with a depth of 6 meters and a width between the centerline of the beams of 26 meters or a total width of 26.93 meters.

Also impressive is the Xiazigou Bridge that is located just north of the Guozigou Bridge and begins the giant spiral descent into the river valley. These two giant viaducts mark the beginning of an amazing and rare feat of highway engineering that includes a spiral loop and tunnel that winds the G30 Lianhuo Expressway around and back underneath itself. In a stretch of just 40 kilometers the G30 expressway drops a total of 1,200 meters in elevation from the Sayram Lake area at 2,000 meters to Lucaogouzhen city at 800 meters. A rest stop visitors center and overlook is located between the two Guozigou bridges.