News China builds the longest bridge ever

[SiberianTiger]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8248197/China-builds-worlds-longest-bridge.html

By David Eimer, Beijing

8:02PM GMT 08 Jan 2011

At 26.4 miles long, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge would easily cross the English Channel and is almost three miles longer than the previous record-holder, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in the American state of Louisiana.

The vast structure links the centre of the booming port city of Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong Province with the suburb of Huangdao, spanning the wide blue waters of Jiaozhou Bay.

Built in just four years at a cost of £5.5 billion, the sheer scale of the bridge reveals the advances made by Chinese engineers in recent years.

No longer dependent on western expertise for such sophisticated projects, the six-lane road bridge is supported by more than 5,200 columns and was designed by the Shandong Gausu Group. When it opens to traffic later this year, the bridge is expected to carry over 30,000 cars a day and will cut the commute between the city of Qingdao and the sprawling suburb of Huangdao by between 20 and 30 minutes.

At least 10,000 workers toiled in two teams around the clock to build the bridge, which was constructed from opposite ends and connected in the middle in the last few days.

Video:

Now guess who will be the second on the Moon and first on Mars.

 

[jedidia]

Let's see how it will hold up to the traffic... knowing chineese quality in general, there might be a few surprises.

 

[Siliconaut]

Now guess who will be the second on the Moon and first on Mars.

While I can appreciate Chinese ingenuity to get just about any project done.

It takes more than peasants with shovels to successfully put a man on the moon, and most certainly Mars.

If the Chinese DID try to get to Mars on today's technology, chances are they won't get whoever they send back.

 

[jedidia]

It takes more than peasants with shovels to successfully put a man on the moon, and most certainly Mars.

I doubt that bridge was built by peasants with shovels, really...

 

[tl8]

The Chinese are going to be technological leaders within the next few years. The quality of education is increasing at a rate of knots and with many of the teachers western trained, they are doing things right.

On this bridge, looks pretty good. I would be concerned about weather damage, but if they don't mind repairing it, then it will be just fine. Doesn't appear to be anything more special than just long.

China was a sleeping giant for a long time, now it is waking up. Be ready for change.

 

[C3PO]

It takes more than peasants with shovels to successfully put a man on the moon, and most certainly Mars.

Peasants with shovels built that bridge?

If the Chinese DID try to get to Mars on today's technology, chances are they won't get whoever they send back.

Why would a Chinese astronaut have lower survival chance then one from .... oh ..... let's choose a random country ...... United States?

We could try to find out which country lost most astronauts in the last 40 years,

 

[ky]

How long is it between the shortest point between the U.S. and Russia?

 

[APDAF]

50 miles.

And that is not longest bridge ever.
It is the worlds longest bridge over water.

The longest bridge is the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge.
At 164,800 m or just over 102 miles.

 

[Artlav]

And both points are middles of nowhere.

 

[ky]

Ok never mind then.Couldnt a bridge be built that length?The chinese bridge is half that it should still be possible.

 

[APDAF]

Did you see my edit?

 

[N_Molson]

Impressive...

 

[T.Neo]

Big deal, China built a bridge. Is China not allowed to build bridges, for some reason? Is bridge-building now defined as nationalistic activity only, rather than an oppurtunity for providing convenient travel architecture for people?

At the rate China is progressing in space, they might be lucky to be the fourth country to independently land on the Moon. They clearly care far more about Earth-bound pursuits than having a huge manned space program.

 

[ky]

Yeah I saw it.Pretty impresive.That length is 3/4 of how far I am from KSC.

 

[N_Molson]

Too bad english people drive on the left side of the road. Such a bridge between France and United Kingdom could be pretty cool. Especially to drink beers with Martins. Of course, the heavy sea traffic is a problem.

 

[Turbinator]

The longest bridge is the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge.
At 164,800 m or just over 102 miles.

That's not really a "bridge" tough.
In my mind that does not qualify as a bridge, rather an elevated train track.

---------- Post added at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:06 AM ----------

At the rate China is progressing in space, they might be lucky to be the fourth country to independently land on the Moon. They clearly care far more about Earth-bound pursuits than having a huge manned space program.

However they re going to have their own space station by 2014.
The first segment gets a launch this fall.

 

[jedidia]

Too bad english people drive on the left side of the road. Such a bridge between France and United Kingdom could be pretty cool. Especially to drink beers with Martins. Of course, the heavy sea traffic is a problem.

You guys have a tunnel, so don't complain! :lol:

 

[T.Neo]

However they re going to have their own space station by 2014.
The first segment gets a launch this fall.

Yeah... let's see how that goes...

 

[SiberianTiger]

Too bad english people drive on the left side of the road. Such a bridge between France and United Kingdom could be pretty cool. Especially to drink beers with Martins. Of course, the heavy sea traffic is a problem.

Such a bridge can have lane crossing in the middle. If the architect is not subject to Gephyrophobia, of course.

 

[Krikkit]

What we have here is a bridge gap. And, Mr. President, we must not allow a bridge gap.