First bridge on China's longest river being repaired

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

 ◆ First bridge on China's longest river being repaired

The highway section of the Yangtze River Bridge at Wuhan, the most important city on the middle reaches of China's longest river, is undergoing major repairs and upgrading.

The bridge was the first ever built on the Yangtze. With a length of 1,155.5 meters, the railway-highway bridge was built and put into operation in October 1957. It is one of the most important connections between the country's northern and southern areas.

The repairs, the first in 46 years of operation, began early last month. Workers are replacing the highway road surface with new asphalt, installing non-slip walkways, and erecting steel power supply poles and English-style lamp posts along both sides of the bridge.

The work is being carried out on one half of the bridge at a time so as to limit the impact on highway transportation.

The entire process will cost 10 million yuan (1.21 million US dollars) and will be finished before the national holiday beginning on Oct. 1.

By June, 29 bridges had been built across the Yangtze River.