A fractured bridge deck falling into the water below. That’s how many remember the Lixinsha Bridge. The Lixinsha Bridge is also known as Lixindao Bridge Sanmin Island Bridge or Hongqili Second Bridge. It is an important part of Guangzhou’s infrastructure.
Let’s delve into the story of this vital bridge. The Lixinsha Bridge is located in Guangzhou Guangdong China. It connects Sanmin Island to Jiuyong and the rest of the urban area. Sanmin Island is one of the smaller islands along the Hongqili Waterway. As the only land bridge connecting Sanmin Island it carries the island’s only water supply pipeline.
Completed in April 1994 the Lixinsha Bridge quickly became essential. It enabled vehicular traffic and supported the island’s lifeline a crucial water pipeline. The bridge stretches 787 meters long and 9.8 meters wide. Designed as a single carriageway it lacks a pedestrian walkway. It features a main navigation hole and two secondary ones. These allow watercraft to pass through.
However the Lixinsha Bridge has faced challenges. In 2009 the bridge was reinforced. This increased its load capacity. By 2019 inspections revealed severe deterioration. The bridge was then classified as a Category 4 bridge. As a temporary measure authorities restricted usage to vehicles weighing less than 15 tonnes. After rectification and reinforcement in 2020 another inspection upgraded the bridge to Category 2. Now vehicles weighing less than 20 tonnes could use it.
To improve safety anti-collision measures were added in October 2021. Construction finished in December 2022. Yet disaster struck on February 22 2024. A cargo barge collided with a bridge pier. This caused a section of the deck to fracture and collapse.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:30 am local time. Repair work was completed by May 23 2024. Certified for use on June 12 the bridge reopened to traffic on June 22 at 10 a.m.
The story of the Lixinsha Bridge is one of resilience. Despite setbacks it continues to serve Guangzhou. It stands as a testament to engineering challenges and solutions.