Roadway to Bridge Huangpu River

Another bridge is to be built across the Huangpu River in a scheme costing around 2.5 billion yuan (US$301 million) and due to be completed in 2003.

Lupu Bridge, for which building work will begin in October, is expected to become a tourist attraction as well as a help for traffic flow.

Different from the existing suspension bridges, Lupu Bridge will be a "half arch bridge" with a main span of 550 metres, the longest such construction in the world.

This more advanced technology will cost more money than building another suspension bridge like Nanpu Bridge. Four local companies have established a shareholding firm to build the bridge.

"It has been listed as the city's key project for next year," said Shen Rende, a senior engineer at Shanghai City Planning Administrative Bureau.

The 8.7-kilometre-long, 29.8-metre-wide bridge is expected to be completed and open to traffic in March 2003. It will have six traffic lanes and a speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour.

To allow water transport along the river, the bridge will be 46 metres above the river.

People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/