Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge Opens, Breaking World Record

The newly opened Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou rises about 2,050 feet above the river and canyon below, making it more than twice the height of the United States’ tallest suspension bridge, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, which hangs 956 feet above the Arkansas River.

Chinese state media reports that the Huajiang span is not only the highest globally but also the longest bridge ever built in a mountainous region, stretching an impressive 4,600 feet across.

Dubbed another of China’s “infrastructure miracles,” the bridge is expected to boost tourism and stimulate the economy in Guizhou, one of the country’s least developed provinces.

Construction took nearly four years to complete. Officials say the crossing slashes travel time across the canyon from around two hours to just two minutes, directly linking key tourist attractions.

Technician Tian Hongrui, who worked on the project, described the achievement with pride: “Leaving now is bittersweet, but this isn’t the end — it’s the beginning of something new,” he told CCTV News.

The bridge isn’t just for motorists. It includes a glass elevator that whisks visitors to a café 2,600 feet above the river, alongside adventure features such as bungee jumping and a glass walkway suspended 1,900 feet high.

Guizhou, home to roughly 40 million residents, has seen a massive infrastructure drive over the last few decades as part of China’s poverty alleviation strategy. The province now boasts more than 32,000 completed or ongoing bridge projects, compared to fewer than 3,000 in the 1980s.

It also hosts the Duge Bridge, previously the world’s tallest, which opened in 2016 and now ranks second to the Huajiang marvel.

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