On September 11, the first pile of the main bridge of the Yangtze River Creek Bridge New Construction and Two-Bank Connecting Road Project, a key project in Yichang City, was successfully drilled, marking the official start of the project's main construction and its full entry into the substantive construction phase. The completion of this important milestone is a major advance in the construction of the Yangtze River Creek Bridge and has laid a solid foundation for the project to be completed and opened to traffic on schedule.

The construction content of the Yangtze River Creek Bridge New Construction and Two-Bank Connecting Road Project covers the main bridge structure, the connecting roads on both banks, and related supporting facilities, and a new Yangtze River Creek Bridge will be built to replace the original old bridge. The project starts in the south at the intersection of Zhenping Road, Mianyangshan Road, and Shangdaodi Road in Xiling District, extends north along the existing Zhenping Road through widening and reconstruction, crosses the Huangbai River to connect to Pinghu Peninsula, and ends at the Leizu Temple Scenic Area, where it connects with National Highway G348, with a total length of about 2.63 kilometers. The 2.63-kilometer total length starts from Zhenping Road in Xiling District, crosses the Huangbai River to connect to Pinghu Peninsula, and ends at the Leizu Temple Scenic Area, where it connects with National Highway G348; it is an important corridor linking Yichang's central urban area with Pinghu Peninsula. Among these, the main bridge has a total length of 455 meters, a main span of 240 meters, a deck width of 30.3 meters, and a main tower height of 140.8 meters, and is a single-tower cable-stayed bridge structure; the main tower adopts a tower-girder fixed connection system, and the main girder adopts a hybrid girder structure of "steel box girder + concrete girder," with a scientific and reasonable structural design and a grand and novel bridge appearance. The 455-meter main bridge length, 240-meter main span, 30.3-meter deck width, and 140.8-meter main tower height make the Yangtze River Creek Bridge a single-tower cable-stayed bridge of considerable scale. The adoption of the tower-girder fixed connection system and the hybrid girder structure of "steel box girder + concrete girder" reflects the scientific nature and rationality of the bridge structural design.

Since entering the site and starting construction, the project department has risen to difficulties, tackled hard problems, and advanced work in a coordinated manner, efficiently completing the construction of temporary water facilities such as the south bank trestle and drilling operation platform, with all indicators meeting design specifications and the conditions for bored pile construction in place. The efficient completion of temporary water facilities such as the south bank trestle and drilling operation platform created the conditions for the smooth drilling of the first pile. In response to multiple challenges such as complex water construction conditions, overlap between the main tower pile foundations and the old bridge pile foundations, great difficulty in external coordination, and frequent navigation of Three Gorges cruise ships, the project department scientifically planned the construction deployment, rationally allocated human, machine, and material resources, refined special construction plans, and regularly carried out technical briefings, safety training, and emergency drills; it proactively coordinated with local governments at all levels, maritime authorities, the owner, the supervisor, and the design unit, strictly implemented water navigation safety control requirements, and built a full safety production defense line in all respects, laying a solid foundation for the smooth drilling of the first pile. Multiple challenges such as complex water construction conditions, overlap between the main tower pile foundations and the old bridge pile foundations, great difficulty in external coordination, and frequent navigation of Three Gorges cruise ships brought enormous pressure to construction. Scientific planning of construction deployment, rational allocation of resources, refinement of special plans, regular technical briefings and safety training, as well as proactive coordination with all parties and strict implementation of navigation safety control—the comprehensive application of these measures built a full safety production defense line in all respects and laid a solid foundation for the smooth drilling of the first pile.

Next, the project department will take the drilling of this first pile as a new starting point, continue to maintain a high-spirited attitude of tackling difficulties, tighten and压实 the main responsibility for safety, anchor to milestone targets, strictly control project quality, and strictly observe the safety red line, advancing pile foundation and substructure construction with high standards, high efficiency, and high quality, and making every effort to build a safe, high-quality, green, environmentally friendly, clean, and efficient benchmark project. The drilling of the first pile, as a new starting point, will drive the project to continue maintaining its momentum in tackling difficulties. The tightening and压实 of the main responsibility for safety, anchoring to milestone targets, strict control of project quality, and strict observance of the safety red line will ensure the high-standard, high-efficiency, and high-quality advancement of pile foundation and substructure construction. Building a safe, high-quality, green, environmentally friendly, clean, and efficient benchmark project is the goal of project construction.

After the project is completed, it will fully open up a fast connection channel between Yichang's central urban area and Pinghu Peninsula and effectively improve the navigation conditions of the Huangbai River section for Three Gorges international cruise ships. It is a key hub project serving the Gezhouba shipping capacity expansion project and ensuring the construction of the new Three Gorges water transport corridor, and it will play an important role in promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and consolidating Yichang's position as the core city of the Western Hubei Eco-Cultural Tourism Circle. The full opening of the fast connection channel between Yichang's central urban area and Pinghu Peninsula will effectively improve the navigation conditions of the Huangbai River section for Three Gorges international cruise ships. As a key hub project serving the Gezhouba shipping capacity expansion project and ensuring the construction of the new Three Gorges water transport corridor, the construction of the Yangtze River Creek Bridge will play an important role in promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and consolidating Yichang's position as the core city of the Western Hubei Eco-Cultural Tourism Circle.

Yichang is an important node city in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the site of the Three Gorges Project and the Gezhouba Project, with abundant water transport resources. The construction of the Yangtze River Creek Bridge will further improve Yichang's urban transportation network, strengthen the connection between the central urban area and Pinghu Peninsula, improve the navigation conditions of the Huangbai River section, and provide strong support for the construction of the new Three Gorges water transport corridor. At the same time, the construction of the bridge will also promote the development and utilization of tourism resources such as the Leizu Temple Scenic Area and drive the development of Yichang's cultural and tourism industry. With the smooth drilling of the first pile, the construction of the Yangtze River Creek Bridge has entered the substantive construction phase. All builders will, with greater enthusiasm and a more pragmatic work style, make every effort to advance project construction, ensure the project is completed and opened to traffic on schedule, and contribute to Yichang's economic and social development and the construction of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Reference source: China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Yangtze River Creek Bridge Project Department