Two 60-ton Chinese knots were hoisted to the top of the bridge towers of Cuntan Yangtze River Bridge in Chongqing on May 8 – the biggest Chinese knots to adorn any bridge in the world, according to Chongqing Urban Construction Group.
Cuntan Yangtze River Bridge, which started construction in 2012 is a classic suspension bridge with two support towers, shaped in memorial arch. It is scheduled to completed and painted bright red by the end of the year.
The Chinese knots are both steel-structured with a width and length of 15 meters. The structure consists of two separated Chinese knots weighing 30 tons.
Chinese knots are hoisted on the top of the support towers of Cuntan Yangtze River Bridge in Chongqing. [Photo by Li Hua/liangjiang.gov.cn] |
According to the construction team, it took more than 10 hours to hoist each knot.
Costing 2.2 billion yuan ($318.7 million), it will become the longest suspension bridge in Chongqing measuring 1,600 meters in length with a span of 880 meters over the Yangtze River.
The design what Cuntan Yangtze River Bridge in Chongqing will look like when finished. [Photo by Li Hua/liangjiang.gov.cn] |
Once completed, it will only take residents in Danzishi district 20 minutes to reach Jiangbei International Airport by car.
The bridge has a width of 38 meters, with eight lanes running in each direction. The speed for cars will be limited to 80 kilometers per hour. The bridge will also have footpaths on both sides.
The major part of Cuntan Yangtze River Bridge has been complete and is due to open by the end of this year. [Photo by Li Hua/liangjiang.gov.cn] |
John Edwards, the UK trade commissioner for China, praised Chongqing over its rise as a burgeoning center in intelligent manufacturing.