Longmen Second Bridge
Longmen Second Bridge
龙门大桥
Wushan, Chongqing, China
443 feet high / 135 meters high
525 foot span / 160 meter span
2024
Longmen Second Bridge is a parallel 2-lane concrete filled steel tubular CFST arch that works with the Xinlongmens arch bridge from 2010 to make a 4-lane crossing to handle increased traffic from newer developments on the east side of the Daning River in Wushan City, Chongqing. The Longmen Second Bridge is located approximately 100 meters upstream of the 2010 Xinlongmens steel arch bridge.
An older proposal for the Longmen Second Bridge was for a 310 meter through arch to be located downstream of the first through arch before a decision was made to cross further upstream with a much smaller arch span of 160 meters.
The Longmen "Dragon Gate" Second Bridge is actually the third major bridge at this crossing as a concrete arch also known as Dragon Gate Bridge existed from 1987 to 2008 before the rising waters of the 3 Gorges reservoir forced its removal. The concrete arch gateway marked the starting point for millions of tourists on their boating adventure up the most spectacular tributary of the entire Yangtze River 3 Gorges region - the Daninghe.
Known as the Lesser Three Gorges to differentiate it from the Yangtze River, a trek up the Daninghe reveals more than just a tour of several of the region's most spectacular bridges. The initial Dragon Gate gorge has many wonders beginning with glass plank walkways and Karst rock stalactites tagged with colorful names like Monkey Fishing in the Air and Fairy Peach Peak.
The shorter span 2024 Longmen Second Bridge crosses the river at an elevation approximately 10 meters higher then the 2010 arch.
An older proposal for the Longmen Second Bridge was for a 310 meter through arch to be located downstream of the first through arch before a decision was made to cross further upstream with a much smaller arch span of 160 meters.
Another render of the older proposal for a longer span Longmen Second Bridge to be located downstream of the 2010 arch.
Another render showing this early proposal with the two spans measuring 243 and 310 meters.
The larger 310 meter arch proposal had a rise of 62 meters and a width of 16 meters with 3 meters of bicycle, 3 meters of sidewalks and 1 meter of maintenance walkway.
The Xinlongmens Bridge completed in 2010.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Georges.
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The original Dragon Gate bridge on a crowded day with tour boats waiting to take visitors up the Daninghe River, also known as the Lesser Three Gorges to differentiate it from the 3 Gorges of the Yangtze River.
Image by Auggie.
Dragon Gate under a full reservoir in 2008. Image by www.cqwb.com.cn.
The end finally came on November 22nd, 2008. It would be more than a year before its replacement opened in 2010.
Image by cnsphoto.
Dragon Gate was the first bridge in China to be built by the rotation method where the two halves of the arch are constructed just above the ground on either hillside and then rotated out over the canyon in one careful maneuver and then closed at the crown. In this early photo you can see part of the temporary arch support foundations next to the bridge on both sides of the hill slope.
A 2006 view with the reservoir half full. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The east abutment of the original Longmens concrete arch bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
The west approach of the Longmens bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
A view of the 3 Gorges reservoir at an elevation of 159 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Image by www.sfwhw.com.
The Daninghe River gorge as it looked in 2006 with the 3 Gorges reservoir still 130 feet (40 meters) below full pool. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
Satellite image of the original Dragon Gate bridge. The span is located about two thirds up from the bottom of this view, 2 miles north of the junction between the Daninghe and Yangtze Rivers.
Longmens Bridge location map.
