Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
On December 29, 1968, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was completed and opened to traffic. The project was completed ahead of schedule; original plans stated that the construction would not be finished until July 1, 1969.
The double-decker and double-track highway and railway bridge were designed and constructed solely by the Chinese people. The bridge joined together the Tianjin-Pukou Railway and Shanghai-Nanjing Railway, two of the main lines in south and north China and greatly facilitated road traffic across the Yangtze River.
The lower deck holds a twin-track railway with a length of 6,772 meters that allows two trains to run in different directions. The upper deck spans 4,589 meters and allows four large trucks to run side by side. The bridge design shows a distinct Chinese approach with its 22 double arches. At the end of the main bridge, there are huge statues on each side.
The construction of the bridge started in January 1960 and cost approximately 287 million yuan.
