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China Opens World's Longest Sea Bridge

The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is 26 miles long

By the Associated Press

Posted Jun 30, 2011 10:36 AM CDT | Updated Jul 3, 2011 11:10 AM CDT

(AP) – China has opened the world's longest cross-sea bridge. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is 26 miles long and links China's eastern port city of Qingdao to the island of Huangdao. State-run CCTV says the 110-foot-wide bridge is the longest of its kind and cost more than $1.5 billion. The bridge passed construction appraisals on Monday, so the bridge and an undersea tunnel opened to traffic Thursday. The bridge, which is supported by more than 5,000 pillars, was built in four years.

Guinness World Records says the previous record holder for a bridge over water is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. The Chinese bridge is more than 2.5 miles longer.

This photo taken Tuesday, June 21, 2011 released by China's Xinhua news agency shows the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.
This photo taken Tuesday, June 21, 2011 released by China's Xinhua news agency shows the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.   (Yan Runbo)
This photo taken Wednesday, June 29, 2011 released by China's Xinhua news agency shows the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.
This photo taken Wednesday, June 29, 2011 released by China's Xinhua news agency shows the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.   (Yan Runbo)
This photo taken Wednesday, June 29, 2011 released by China's Xinhua news agency shows the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.
This photo taken Wednesday, June 29, 2011 released by China's Xinhua news agency shows the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.   (Yan Runbo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 17 comments
truesoy
Jul 4, 2011 10:54 AM CDT
The republican 'free' market concept at work (free trade, global economy, no rules, no stops, the market 'rules, just give me a 'large campaign' contribution, blah, blah, blah)
SPHeroid
Jul 3, 2011 8:03 PM CDT
I wonder if the Chinese had enough foresight to put a Stuckies or two on that span?.....
Ultraworld
Jul 3, 2011 3:26 PM CDT
I'd wait a few years before I set foot on it. China has a bad track record when it comes to building codes. Buildings tumbled in the earthquake in March. Buildings with very little reinforcing steel fell like rocks.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

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