Bridge collapses less than a year after completion

China’s Honqi Bridge project, intended as a showcase for engineering capability, has collapsed within a year of completion, prompting investigation into geological and structural factors.

The newly constructed Honqi Bridge in southwestern China has collapsed, less than a year after completion. Concrete and steel plunged into the river below, with the dramatic sequence captured on video.

Personnel had already discovered cracks in the roadway and slope deformations on the bridge’s right side on Monday. Authorities immediately took action by closing the bridge to all traffic and warning the public of safety risks.

The bridge runs along National Highway G317, a major transportation artery between central China and Tibet. It measured 758 meters and was supported by pillars rising 172 meters above the ravine floor. State-owned Sichuan Road & Bridge Group was responsible for the construction.

The project was part of a larger state initiative to develop infrastructure in the country’s mountainous western regions and open up the area economically. The bridge was intended to serve as a showcase for Chinese engineering expertise.

The cause of the collapse remains unclear, but early analyses point to geological instability as a possible explanation.