GUIYANG, CHINA — China has officially opened the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, now the tallest bridge in the world, soaring 2,050 feet above the Beipan River in Guizhou province. The bridge opened to traffic on Sunday, September 28, 2025, and dramatically reduces travel time across the canyon from two hours to just two minutes.
Engineering Marvel
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge stretches 4,600 feet long, making it also the longest bridge in a mountainous area. The previous record-holder, the Duge Bridge (2016), stood at 1,854 feet. By comparison, the tallest bridge in the United States, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, reaches only 956 feet.
Construction took nearly four years, with a critical load-bearing test involving almost 100 trucks ensuring safety for vehicular traffic.
Boosting Local Connectivity and Economy
Guizhou, historically isolated by deep ravines, has seen a dramatic increase in infrastructure: from just 2,900 bridges in the 1980s to over 32,000 today. Local residents now benefit from easier access to county seats and the provincial capital, transforming daily life.
Project manager Wu Chaoming recalled:
“Before the bridge, buses were bursting at the seams, and travel options were extremely limited. Now people can cross the canyon in minutes.”
Tourism Potential
Beyond transportation, the bridge aims to attract visitors. Tourists can take a high-speed glass elevator to a café atop one tower or walk along a 1,900-foot-high glass walkway. Future attractions include paragliding and bungee jumping, with authorities expecting around 1 million visitors annually, boosting local tourism revenue.
The bridge forms part of a wider anti-poverty and development initiative to enhance economic opportunities in Guizhou.
