Xihoumen Bridge

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The Xihoumen Bridge is a suspension bridge built on the Zhoushan Archipelago, the largest offshore island group in China. It was completed ahead of schedule in December, 2007, before its scheduled 2008 completion date.^[1] It is the second longest suspension bridge ranked by the length of the center span.

The 5.3 kilometer long suspension bridge has a 2.6 kilometer long main bridge with a central span of 1,650 meters. The approaches total 2.7 kilometers. When it opened there was only one bridge with a larger span, the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge in Japan. However, there are several other bridges planned or under construction that will also be larger.

The bridge was built by the province of Zhejiang, at a cost of 2.48 billion yuan (approximately 300 million US dollars). Construction began in 2005, and the first traffic crossed the bridge on 16 December 2007, at 11:18 a.m., local time.

The Xihoumen Bridge links Jintang and Cezi islands. Another planned bridge, the 27 kilometers long Jintang Bridge, will link Jintang Island and Zhenhai of Ningbo. The two bridges are the second phase of a huge project started in 1999, to link the Zhoushan Archipelago with the mainland with five bridges. Construction of the other three bridges has been completed.