Pingtang Bridge, Cable-stayed bridge in Pingtang County, Guizhou, China
Pingtang Bridge carries the Pingtang–Luodian Expressway across the Caodu River valley on three cable-stayed spans of 550 m each, with a 2,135 m total length and a 30.2 m wide deck. Its three tapered concrete pylons, painted white with vertical blue stripes, rise 332 m above the valley floor; the tallest stands 182.8 m above the deck.
Construction began in April 2016 and the bridge opened to traffic on 30 December 2019, after 42 months of work. It was built by Guizhou Bridge Construction Group and CCCC Second Highway Engineering Bureau at a cost of about 1.5 billion yuan. In 2021 it received the Gustav Lindenthal Medal from the International Bridge Conference.
The three towers are shaped as faceted pyramids, and their tops carry patterns drawn from the traditional ornament of the local Buyi and Miao peoples. The design theme, described in Chinese sources as "deep mountains, green water, a bridge flying across", also includes the Sky Bridge service area built for viewing the Caodu River valley.
The bridge carries the Pingtang–Luodian Expressway, so it is crossed by car, not on foot. The "Sky Bridge" service area beside it was built for viewing the Caodu River valley and the three towers. The deck sits 310 metres above the river, and the towers rise 332 metres.
The bridge deck sits 310 metres above the Caodu River, placing it among the twenty highest road bridges in the world. Its 332-metre tower is 15 metres shorter than the Millau Viaduct in France, a structure of similar design. In 2021 the bridge received the Gustav Lindenthal Medal from the International Bridge Conference.
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