The Hongshui River Super-Major Bridge under construction on Feb 4, 2026. (Xinhua)
NANNING, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) The lattice girder of the Hongshui River Super-Major Bridge on the Liuzhou-Qintang Expressway in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was successfully closed on Sunday, representing a critical milestone in the project's advancement.
Constructed by China Railway 25th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. under the investment of China Railway Construction Investment Group, the bridge serves as a pivotal control point for the entire expressway. Stretching 1,732 meters in total length with a main span of 285 meters, the project involves considerable construction complexity and adheres to high technical standards. The girder hoisting phase, in particular, demanded exceptional precision and rigorous safety management.
According to Chen Yonggui, the project manager from China Railway 25th Bureau Group, the construction team employed a digital twin system to create a virtual replica of the bridge. This allowed comprehensive simulation of the girder lifting process, enabling intelligent and visual oversight throughout construction. Advanced technologies, including 3D laser scanning and digital pre-assembly, were utilized to precisely manage key stages—transporting, rotating, hoisting, and positioning—thereby enhancing assembly accuracy, simplifying alignment adjustments, and ensuring safe and efficient girder installation.
The bridge site is located within a nature reserve dedicated to protecting rare fish species. Throughout construction, the project team prioritized ecological preservation, implementing proactive measures such as utilizing new-energy vehicles for soil transport and regular water spraying to suppress dust. These efforts significantly minimized the environmental impact, ensuring that project development progressed in harmony with ecological conservation.
The Liuzhou-Qintang Expressway forms a key section of the Luzhai-Qinzhou Port Expressway, a north-south coastal corridor within Guangxi's highway network. Spanning approximately 123.4 kilometers, it is a major transportation initiative under Guangxi's 14th Five-Year Plan and is scheduled to open in 2026. Upon completion, the expressway will establish a second highway link between Liuzhou and Guigang, substantially reducing travel time between the cities of Liuzhou, Laibin, Guigang and Qinzhou Port. It will also optimize the regional expressway network and strengthen the traffic distribution capacity of Qinzhou Port in the Beibu Gulf.
