Carrying the western section of the Chengdu Airport New Town ring-road and cycle-route across the Tuojiang River, a leading tributary of Jiangxi River, the 185-metre central span and smaller 55-metres spans connecting to the either riverbank create the 295-metre road, cycle and pedestrian bridge which gently curves as it crosses the river. As arches provide the most efficient bridge structure for spans between 120-250 meters, the West Line Bridge is composed of two primary steel arches that rise from either side of the horizontal road deck. The arches lean together to touch tangentially at their crown, stabilizing the structure from lateral wind forces. The dynamic curvature of its supporting piers and abutments seamlessly integrate with the primary arches and road deck, defining a sculptural landmark within Chengdu’s key transport infrastructure. Built from locally-manufactured prefabricated steel sections spliced together with on-site welding, the bridge’s design and construction exceeds the standards required for once-in-200-year weather events.
