Bridges help Guizhou live the high life

The 800-meter span of Yachihe Bridge is the world's longest steel truss, cable-stay bridge structure. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Key project

The Dafaqu Grand Bridge is the key project of the Renhuai-Zunyi expressway, a 52.4-kilometer, six-lane highway built by Guizhou Highway Development Co with an investment of 12.8 billion yuan.

The project, which includes 101 bridges and 26 tunnels, took four years to complete.

Connecting with the Shanghai-Chengdu expressway, it is part of the Chengdu-Zunyi expressway, according to the national highway network blueprint, and has a designed speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

"The freeway will boost the economic and social development of central Guizhou and promote a connection between the northern part of the province and the Sichuan-Chongqing region," said Xu Yinglu, head of Guizhou Highway Development Co.

The expressway shortens the time for the 52.4-kilometer journey between Zunyi and Renhuai from 90 minutes to about 30 minutes.

The bridge has become a popular tourist spot and the village — which has now changed its name to Tuanjie — has become the best place to gain a magnificent view of the structure.

Cao Lihong, from Zunyi, visited the village with her family during the Spring Festival holiday.

"The journey used to take about two hours, but since the freeway opened it takes about 20 minutes," Cao said, adding that it was pleasant to take a break in the countryside and enjoy the food and leisurely pace of life.

Wang Chaohai, head of Tuanjie, said, "More people are coming to the village and business is booming."

He added that the villagers aim to take full advantage of the convenient transportation link to sell their high-quality rice and other agricultural goods.

Villager Tang Xiaosong said: "We had no water, no electricity, no road, and we were unable to sell agricultural produce to the outside world. Villagers had to walk to the township to buy fertilizer to grow crops. Now, we not only have water and electricity, but also access to the freeway."

Huang Dafa said that building a bridge in such a remote area was not an easy task. "However, it's a bridge that will bring happiness and prosperity to local residents," he said.

Xinhua News Agency, Wang Jin and Zhao Yandi in Guiyang contributed to this story.