Hangzhou Bay Bridge

Forgot to mention that we were taken across the newly opened Hangzhou Bay Bridge on our way home from the Xitang excursion. It opened to the public on May 1st of this year. As I am sure many of you know, the 36km (22 mi)long Hangzhou Bay Bridge is the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world, spanning Hangzhou Bay on the East China Sea and crossing the Qiantang River at the Yangtze River Delta.

The S-shaped Hangzhou Bay Bridge is an important connection in China's East Coast Superhighway. The bridge starts in Jiaxing in the north and ends at Ningbo in the south. It shortens the ground transportation distance from Ningbo to Shanghai by 120km and travel time from four hours to two hours. Given that Ningbo is an important port city for international trade this bridge will make a big difference to the efficiency of businesses in Shanghai and elsewhere along its route. The bridge links the municipalities of Shanghai and Ningbo in Zhejiang province.

It is also the second-longest bridge in the world after the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, USA. Its designated speed is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph), and the designed longevity is more than 100 years. The total investment for the bridge is about RMB 11.8 billion. All along its length,the bridge is decorated with flashing lights of different colors to distract from drowsiness, and keep the drivers' attention on the road ahead.
It was certainly an interesting experience while crossing what seemed like the middle of the sea with the wind blowing and the waves rising. The railings changed colour every few kilometers and we noted very modern services/facilities at either end of the bridge but no stopping all the way across. I also think that it is quite a beautiful bridge with its high A shaped cables spanning the centre.