Youyi Bridge, Transportation bridge in Thakot, Pakistan
Youyi Bridge crosses the Indus River to join Thakot and Dandai along the Karakoram Highway in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Steel truss beams and concrete pylons support the structure above the water and allow vehicles to travel between the two sides daily.
An earlier bridge stood at this location from 1966 to 1978 before it was replaced by a newer structure. The current bridge was built between 2000 and 2004, marking a shift toward modern infrastructure in the region.
The name comes from Chinese and means friendship, reflecting how Pakistan and China worked together on this infrastructure project. When you cross it, you can see this partnership made concrete in the steel and support structures that span the river.
The bridge carries regular vehicle traffic throughout the day, so visiting with good daylight helps you see both the structure and the river landscape clearly. Keep in mind that the Karakoram Highway winds through mountains, which can affect travel times to reach it.
The bridge sits at a point where the Karakoram Highway passes through especially narrow river gorges, making it a crucial bottleneck for all trade between Pakistan and China. This geographic importance is rarely discussed and makes the bridge far more strategically important than it first appears.
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