平潭海峡大桥, Bridge in Fujian Province, China
The Pingtan Strait Bridge is a road-rail bridge in Fujian Province, China, spanning the sea channel between the mainland and Pingtan Island. It carries road traffic on the upper deck and a railway line on the lower deck, allowing both to operate at the same time.
Work began on the bridge in 2010, and it opened in 2020, ending decades of reliance on ferry crossings to reach Pingtan Island. Before this, the island had no fixed link to the mainland, which slowed its growth for a long time.
The bridge connects the mainland to Pingtan Island, which is known as a special economic zone and draws many visitors from across China. Crossing it, you see open water on both sides, with the Taiwan Strait stretching out around you.
The bridge can be crossed by car or by train, both departing from the Fuzhou area on the mainland side. Traveling during the day gives you a clear view of the sea on all sides, since the structure runs mostly over open water.
The Taiwan Strait is one of the windiest sea passages in Asia, so the bridge was designed to withstand typhoon-force winds, which required unusually wide piers and extra reinforcement along the deck. This makes the structure noticeably heavier than most bridges of comparable length.
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