China's amazing mega bridges

China’s mega-bridges are breaking records, with many topping the list of highest or longest bridges in the world. 

The world's longest cross-sea bridge — Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge

The aerial photo taken on June 29, 2016 shows the construction site of the main bridge parts of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the world's longest cross-sea bridge, in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. Two main bridge sections of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge joined together on Wednesday. [Photo: Xinhua]

The main part of the world's longest cross-sea bridge, linking China's southern economic hub of Guangdong Province to Hong Kong and Macao, is expected to be completed later this month.

The multi-billion-dollar project is due to open in December 2017.

Starting from Lantau Island in Hong Kong, the Y-shaped bridge will have a total length of about 55 km, including a 6.7 km underwater tunnel, and a 23-km bridge over the sea.

Workers install the last tower of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge on June 2, 2016. [Photo: Xinhua]

The bridge will become an important channel linking Hong Kong, Macao, Zhuhai and the western part of the Pearl River Delta, one of the most economically-developed areas in the Chinese mainland.

The move is widely expected to bring the areas closer together, economically.

Once in operation, the bridge will shorten the current 4h drive from Hong Kong to Zhuhai in Guangdong to only half an hour.

 The photo taken on June 29, 2016 shows the construction site of the main bridge parts of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the world's longest cross-sea bridge, in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. [Photo: Xinhua]

The subsea tunnel has been one of the most complex parts of the construction.

The underwater structure consists of 33 massive immersed tube sections.

During the project’s seven-year construction, engineers and workers have had to deal with a series of complex problems include super tornadoes, difficult sea conditions, and deep-sea channels.

The world's tallest bridge - Beipanjiang Bridge

Aerial view of the Beipanjiang Bridge, the world's highest bridge, over the Nizhu River Canyon on the boundary of southwest China's Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, 28 December 2016. [Photo:dfic]

Soaring 565 meters above a river, the Beipanjiang Bridge in Guizhou opened to traffic last December, making it the world's highest bridge.

With a height equivalent to a 200-storey building, the structure spanning the Beipanjiang Valley, is part of a highway linking Hangzhou city in East China's Zhejiang province and Ruili city in Guizhou's neighboring Yunnan province.

The bridge cuts travel time from Liupanshui in Guizhou to Xuanwei in Yunnan from around five hours to fewer than two.

So far, seven bridges in China have made it onto the top ten list of longest cable-stayed bridges.

(Source: Ministry of Transport)

A section of the Hutong Yangtze River Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge connecting Nantong city in Jiangsu province with Shanghai. The project is set to be completed by 2019. [Photo: Xinhua]

Top 10 longest cable-stayed bridges in the world

The graph shows the ranking of longest cable-stayed bridges in the world. [Photo: China Plus/Zhao Feiyu]