Awe-Inspiring Construction of Mountain Highway Bridges in China
China is home to some of the most spectacular mountains, and some of the deepest gorges that need to be spanned with ridiculously tall bridges - and all these infrastructure projects are supposed to be good for Chinese economy.
There is only one problem: the amount of jaws dropped into the gorges by awestruck tourists and the sense of professional envy these bridges inspire in architects around the world, itching to land a similarly grand project:
Building West Hubei and Shanghai Chengdu Expressway Bridge - some 1365 meters in length, towering 650 meters over the bottom of the gorge (images via)
You need to build a bridge over THAT? (this is what passes for a "mountain valley" in China) -
Well, this will require piers at least 150m tall -
This is Guizhou Beipanjiang Bridge, built for the Shanghai-Kunming highway: 1564 meters long, stretching about 370 meters above the waters - the second tallest bridge in the world.
This one almost copies the overall shape (without the underlying mechanics) of Gateshead Millennium Bridge, which we covered in Part 1 - this is Sanhao Bridge over Hunhe River in Shenyang, Liaoning Province:
"If you demolish bridges behind you, then there is no choice but forward" (bad motivational advice)
Transporting bridges can indeed be a beautiful sight (Portlanders were treated to such scenes in 2007, for example, when Port of Portland's old bridge center section was replaced). Pictured here is the Pentele bridge in Dunaújváros, Hungary:
Controlled demolition of bridges can be a fantastic job: this spectacular photo shows the end of the old Jamestown bridge in Rhode Island (also watch video)
As we continue to cover some of the most impressive (tallest, longest, etc.) bridges, Dubai's "Largest Arch Bridge", planned for 2012 (not sure, if it's still on schedule), surprises with the graceful curves - more info
The mighty Humber Bridge in Hull, England, comes to mind next:
Even though it's only fifth-largest suspension single-span bridge in the world, it's also quite graceful and inspiring in its arching curve. Before the bridge was built, local folks had to use hovercraft service - it was unreliable, plagued with mechanical problems, but an adventure in itself (in a sooty- dieselpunkish way)
Treat your eyes on these classic shots of the Humber Bridge's "vanishing point" -
The Confederation Bridge linking Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, Canada, is extremely long and looks like a leasurely white snake floating in deep blue waters when seen from above:
Russian futurism.... a bridge in Siberia... dreamy....
(art by Tekhnika Molodezhi, 1974)
Also, we just have to mention the proposed Alaskan Bridge, really a "Bridge to Nowhere", a bizarre project which got some money for the state under Sara Palin, but was mercifully put to rest thereafter... "I have a bridge to sell you up in Alaska"... no, thanks! The story about it can be watched here.
The Forth Bridge in Scotland, which spans the Firth of Forth, should not be confused with the Forth Road bridge that's nearby. This rail bridge is best enjoyed at sunset:
You know how they say "build bridges instead of walls and you will have a friend"? If you build bridges like these, though, you may end up with enemies instead.
Crossing some of these rickety structures requires guts, skills and a prayer; and some others can provide the excitement (which is a good thing) -
Animals don't seem to mind, or maybe they just can't express it...
Ack!!
Bridges in Pakistan... or actually absence of them
I love the photos, but don't get the Sara Palin/Obama Reference. Yes she was for/against the bridge, but the project was stopped long before Obama was President. She wanted and got the money for her state, did not want the bridge, he was in Chicago... It's liek the he didn't vote for the war thing. No but neither did I. He and I (and most americans) were not in the senate at the time.
One famous bridge is missing in your List: The "pont d'Avigion" in Avigion, France. It's just half a bridge and there is a famous song about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_Saint-B%C3%A9nezet
To support what Frank B said, your reference to the Bridge to Nowhere is not just inaccurate, but flat out wrong. At one point Sarah Palin did support the bridge, but then came out against its construction. See http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/10/opinion/main4435937.shtml: "While it may be unfair to say that Sarah Palin always treated the Bridge as Milton Friedman might have, she quickly grasped the project’s folly and ultimately put it out of the nation’s misery. In a country where politicians endlessly make demands until weary taxpayers capitulate, Palin scrapped the bridge soon after she was empowered to do so. "
More significantly, Obama did not end the bridge's construction; to the contrary, both Obama and Biden specifically voted to keep funding in place for the bridge instead of transferring those funds to replace a bridge destroyed by Hurrican Katrina.
The picture under the label "An old design (not used) was not too shabby, either... strongly suggesting the Great Millau Bridge (see here)" -I would rather strongly suggest the impressive Rio–Antirrio Bridge in greece as the design seems to be mostly a 1:1 copy of it.
The surviving elephants of Hamburg Zoo (Hagenbeck's Tierpark) helped clean up the rubble in the destroyed city after WW2. Don't know whether this picture shows Hamburg, but it's not implausible.
I think that the mistery pic is from Berlin, not Hamburg, after the downfall of the German Reich, in 1945. Immediate post-war. Sad, sad times, those, even for the poor animals...
This is utterly brilliant! I am very fond of gadgets myself and wrote a fiction blog for two years about a boy who was very keen on them and he went to the James Bond exhibition at the Science Museum. Addy
This is amazing! Have you checked out the Spy Museum in DC? It's full of things like this ranging from the beginning of spying all the way up to what they're doing today and things that may be available in the future. Well worth the money.
There's a spy shop near where I live. I went in there recently expecting to see awesome gadgets like this but all they carried were nanny cams and the hidden safe versions of a bunch of household items. Thanks for giving me my spy gear fix!
Anything by Tim Powers is a worthwhile read, he is my favorite author by far. Anubis Gate does stand out, as does Earthquake Weather and Expiration Date.
Again in Saigon, what is it about Vietnam and extreme wiring?Seismic activity plus lack of planning. In Japan you have also a lot of wires, but they are at least better planned.
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16 Comments:
I love the photos, but don't get the Sara Palin/Obama Reference. Yes she was for/against the bridge, but the project was stopped long before Obama was President. She wanted and got the money for her state, did not want the bridge, he was in Chicago... It's liek the he didn't vote for the war thing. No but neither did I. He and I (and most americans) were not in the senate at the time.
Excellent Pictures Posted here.
Thanks for showing these
"Wow...!"
"Awesome...!"
One famous bridge is missing in your List: The "pont d'Avigion" in Avigion, France. It's just half a bridge and there is a famous song about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_Saint-B%C3%A9nezet
Not Portland, Dunaújváros, Hungary
http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentele-híd
To support what Frank B said, your reference to the Bridge to Nowhere is not just inaccurate, but flat out wrong. At one point Sarah Palin did support the bridge, but then came out against its construction. See http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/10/opinion/main4435937.shtml:
"While it may be unfair to say that Sarah Palin always treated the Bridge as Milton Friedman might have, she quickly grasped the project’s folly and ultimately put it out of the nation’s misery. In a country where politicians endlessly make demands until weary taxpayers capitulate, Palin scrapped the bridge soon after she was empowered to do so. "
More significantly, Obama did not end the bridge's construction; to the contrary, both Obama and Biden specifically voted to keep funding in place for the bridge instead of transferring those funds to replace a bridge destroyed by Hurrican Katrina.
"really a "Bridge to Nowhere", a bizarre project endorsed by Sara Palin and mercifully put to rest by President Obama."
Your facts are incorrect on this one. Palin opposed it and Obama had nothing to do with killing the project.
Laszlo is correct!
If you look at the picture in here and the picture behind the link, you even see the different cabeling and colour
Both Alaskan and Hungarian bridge entries are adjusted now, thank you.
Thank You! :)
Awsome pictures, I would like to visit all this bridges and takes lots of pictures :-)
Absolutely amazing and interesting as hell. When's DRB coming out with a book deal, btw? =)
I am not reel good at video games,but i did enjoy the ones you posted a month or so back. Can you please bring them back. Thankyou.
I'm surprised the Kylesku bridge in Scotland has not been featured. A couple of pics here ...
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/53877
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/596653
I don't care what anybody else thinks... Sarah Palin is hot!
The picture under the label
"An old design (not used) was not too shabby, either... strongly suggesting the Great Millau Bridge (see here)"
-I would rather strongly suggest the impressive Rio–Antirrio Bridge in greece as the design seems to be mostly a 1:1 copy of it.
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