Mountains in the way, but road builders finish on top
For Tan Lunbiao, a massive bridge in his village is not only a feast for the eyes but also a path to prosperity.
The fruit farmer of Pinglihe village in Guizhou province, Southwest China, knows very well the positive impact of the link right from the moment it opened to traffic.
“Before the bridge was built, transportation conditions were poor. It took a lot of time to transport fruit out and about 20% of our products turned rotten before they even reached the market. The bridge saved a lot of time and stemmed losses for local farmers,” Tan, 48, said.
The Pingtang Bridge, with its main tower standing at 1,090 feet, shortens travel time to Guiyang, the provincial capital, from more than seven hours to two and a half.
Tan’s annual income now exceeds 50,000 ($6,950), more than double what it was before the bridge opened at the end of 2019.
“Over the past 18 years, Guizhou’s transportation has changed tremendously,” said Li Zhao, chief engineer of the Fourth Branch of Guizhou Road and Bridge Group.
“And local residents have shaken off poverty and are now enjoying better lives. One important factor is better transport.”
Guizhou, with more than 90% of its surface area being mountains and hills, presents some of the most challenging conditions in developing a sound transportation system. It has been among the poorest provincial regions for many years.
“In many rural areas nationwide, especially those with harsh natural conditions, people only have access to very poor infrastructure,” said Dong Yu, executive vice-president of the Institute for China Development Planning at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
Chinese authorities, recognizing that transportation is a key factor of sound development, have adopted many measures over the decades to provide people with greater access to the links.
“China can pool resources together to accomplish major projects that are beneficial to national development and people’s well-being,” said Cai Tongjuan, a researcher at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing.
About 10 months after the Pingtang Bridge opened, another bridge construction project began in a valley about 155 miles to its northwest.
Building the Jinfeng Bridge over the Wujiang River required 1,200 construction workers who overcame many hurdles.
“When we first arrived, there was no water, electricity or well-built roads,” said XieQinjian, project manager with the Guizhou Road and Bridge Group. “The bridge project was tough and needed highprecision work.”
The bridge is set to open to traffic within the next nine weeks.
Nearly half of the world’s 100 highest bridges are in Guizhou, according to industry figures. The scale of the province’s total expressway network has nearly quadrupled over the past decade to stretch more than 4,900 miles.
Guizhou’s transport inroads reflect China’s broader infrastructure development.
“Infrastructure projects feature large investments and long cycles, thus requiring patience and persistence,” Dong of Tsinghua University said.
“Through the implementation of its five-year plans, China has ensured major projects are carried out consistently.”
Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies, said China’s infrastructure endeavors are rewriting the literature on development.
“China creates solid public sector assets and makes them really good assets. People will use that as a basis to improve their lives.”