China's landmark Yangtze River bridge reopens to traffic

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China's first domestically-designed modern bridge over the Yangtze, the country's longest river, a national landmark, reopened to road traffic on Saturday after a 26-month renovation.

As the first double-decked road-rail truss bridge designed by China, the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in the eastern city of Nanjing first opened to traffic on the same day 50 years ago.

The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge under renovation, September 15, 2017. /VCG Photo

During the renovation, the highway traffic on the upper deck, which is 4,589 meters long and 15 meters wide, was suspended while the railway line on the lower deck, which is 6,772 meters long and 14 meters wide, was not disturbed.

Three days before the official reopening, the bridge was opened to the public, attracting 200,000 visitors.

Visitors flock to the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge before its official reopening, December 28, 2018. /VCG Photo

"We were so proud of the bridge when it was built," Nanjing citizen Liu Yong said. "The bridge displays Chinese people's innovative spirit, which should be inherited by the younger generations."

"The bridge is a collective memory for generations in Nanjing and other parts of the country as a symbol of technological achievements, the spirit of teamwork and a sense of pride," said Lu Andong, a professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency