HANGZHOU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Construction of a vital suspension bridge started in east China's Zhejiang Province on Tuesday, said sources with the China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co., Ltd., builder of the bridge.
The Oujiangbeikou Bridge is a main project on both the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway and a national highway along the east coast of the country, which is still under construction.
The double-deck bridge with three bridge towers spans the Oujiang River in the city of Wenzhou. The upper deck is designed to be a two-way expressway with six lanes. The designed speed of the upper deck is 100 km per hour. The lower deck, also two-way with six lanes, is designed to serve as a first-class highway with a designed speed of 80 km per hour.
Container vessels of up to 30,000 tonnes will be able to pass under the bridge.
Tian Jikai, chief engineer of the construction, said they will build a more solid foundation for the middle tower of the bridge, which can resist typhoons and collision with ships.
It will play an important role in improving east China's coastal highway traffic and linking the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, said Zhou Liemao, chief engineer of Wenzhou Communication Investment Group Co., Ltd.
