The steel box girder of the HQT-1 ramp at the Huangqiao Interchange is installed. [Photo/WeChat account: txfabu]
In a significant milestone for under-construction Rugao-Changzhou Expressway, or S30 Expressway, the steel box girder of the HQT-1 ramp at the Huangqiao Interchange has been installed over the Yancheng-Jingjiang Expressway, laying a solid foundation for the completion of the project.
The expressway starts from Rugao, passes through Taixing, and end at Changzhou, all located in East China's Jiangsu province.
The installation of the steel box girder over the Yancheng-Jingjiang Expressway was considered a highly risky and pivotal engineering task, crucial for the overall progress of the project. The girder segment measures 34.5 meters in length, with a bridge deck width of 12.75 meters, and a weight of about 250 metric tons.
Prior to the installation, multiple coordination meetings were held with stakeholders to finalize the operation strategy, which allows for a 20-minute window to complete the operation.
The section under construction from Huangqiao to Taixing spans approximately 7 kilometers. It continues the northern connection of the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, designed as a six-lane highway with a speed limit of 120 km/h.
Scheduled to open in the first half of next year, this 7-kilometer "golden link" is expected to end the marginalization of towns in the eastern part of Taixing, helping them to integrate into the southern Jiangsu economic circle, and delivering tangible benefits for industry, logistics and local residents.