外滩大桥, Cable bridge in Ningbo, China
Waitan Bridge (外滩大桥) is a cable-stayed bridge over the Yongjiang River in Ningbo, linking Shuguang North Road in Yinzhou District with Daqing South Road in Jiangbei District. Its single inclined pylon splits into two legs joined by a horizontal member, forming a 人 shape meant to evoke "humanistic Ningbo"; four cable planes fan from the pylon head. The deck is 42.8 m wide with six vehicle lanes plus non-motorised and pedestrian lanes, and 4 m sidewalks run the full length.
The bridge was completed in 2010 and marked an important milestone in Ningbo's efforts to modernize its infrastructure. It improved the connection between the city's traditional port and business districts.
The inclined pylon is shaped like the Chinese character 人 (ren, "human"), a design the sources describe as meaning "humanistic Ningbo"; this triangular single-tower, four-cable-plane form was the first of its kind in mainland China. The bridge carries Jingjia Road between Shuguang North Road in Yinzhou District and Daqing South Road in Jiangbei District, with the old Ningbo Bund on its west side and the former Ningbo Fishing Trawler Factory and Ningbo Book City on its east.
The bridge is easily accessible by public transportation, with multiple bus lines crossing it regularly. Dedicated pedestrian paths run alongside vehicle lanes, allowing safe passage on foot.
The bridge's inclined pylon is shaped like the Chinese character 人 (rén, "person"), a form its designers say stands for "humanistic Ningbo". The single-tower, four-cable-plane design was the first of its kind in mainland China. On 16 April 2018 a drifting pontoon broke loose from the old Ningbo passenger wharf and lodged against the bridge; inspections found no damage to the main structure.
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