Articles by Helen Davidson

Technology

‘I can touch the clouds’: how it feels to cross the world’s highest bridge

As a safety worker for bungee jumps and rope swings, Mr Fu has spent a lot of time standing on bridges. But his new job, working at the new Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Southern China, takes the cake. “The view from the bridge is fantastic,” he tells the Guardian. “Beneath the bridge flows the Beipan River, with Huajiang Village nearby and a waterfall as well. It is very exciting – the bridge is very high, and many visitors come. Standing on it yourself feels thrilling as well.” The new Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is the world’s highest, and officially opened to the public on 28 September. Its deck sits 625 metres above the deep valley below, and spans almost 3km across – its 1,420-metre main section also making it the world’s longest bridge in a mountainous area, according to China’s state media. It will reportedly cut travel time across the canyon from two hours to two minutes, taking the Guizhou S57 highway from Liuzhi special district to Anlong county. But authorities also hope it will attract tourists to the region, with viewing platforms, a glass lift to a cafe on top of one of the bridge arches, and a glass walkway for visitors to look down to the ground about 580 metres below. The bridge offers bungee jumping and slack-lining, and there are plans for professional Base jumping events, according to state media. Not all attractions are operating yet, including the cafe which is expected to open in November, but local tour operators say it has already started drawing crowds. Visitors are reportedly restricted to 5,000 a day. Lin Guoquan, who runs a nearby guesthouse, posted on social media that his business was fully booked and there were now hundreds of people every day at a viewing platform where he used to drive guests. “Since it opened, I’ve crossed the bridge four times,” says Lin. “Before it was fully completed, I visited it more than 200 times just to see the bridge and monitor its progress … Now, I can see the world’s tallest bridge right from my courtyard.” Social media is awash with videos from the bridge, including drone vision shot by Lin. One user described cars looking “as small as ants” driving across the bridge. “Sitting in the car, it felt as if I could reach out and touch the clouds with my hand,” said another. Not everyone is so enamoured. Some people have complained on social media about the bridge’s cost, parking management and unfinished state, while others say it was “not worth the special trip”. The bridge took less than four years to build, and supplanted another Chinese bridge – also in Guizhou province – as the world’s highest. The bridge wins that title because of the distance between its deck and the ground below. Structurally, its two 262-metre tall towers make it the world’s 19th tallest bridge. Additional reporting by Lillian Yang and Jason Tzu Kuan Lu

‘I can touch the clouds’: how it feels to cross the world’s highest bridge

Opened last month in China, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge sits 625 metres above the valley below

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