Largest cable saddle in world installed on Shizi Yang Bridge

(ECNS) -- The world's largest cable saddle was successfully installed on the Shizi Yang Bridge on Tuesday, marking a major step forward in the construction of the mega bridge in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The saddle, which weighs over 320 metric tons and measures about 9.2 meters in height and 7.2 meters in width, was lifted into place at the eastern anchorage of the bridge. The bridge has four such saddles.

The Shizi Yang Bridge is the world's first double-deck suspension bridge with a span exceeding 2,000 meters. Once completed, it will set five world records: the longest main span, the tallest bridge tower, the largest anchorage foundation, the thickest main cable, and the most traffic lanes.

The main cable, which is about 1.5 meters in diameter, passes through the saddle and is divided into 380 strands anchored into the foundation. The saddle is designed to withstand nearly 40,000 metric tons of pressure from the main cable.

The Shizi Yang Corridor, which includes the bridge, spans about 35 kilometers and connects Nansha District in Guangzhou with Shatian and Humen towns in Dongguan. Construction is progressing steadily, with the bridge now in the upper structure phase. The project is expected to open to traffic in 2029.

(By Tang Yuxian)