Most well-built bridges stand the test of time, acting as voiceless witnesses to the growth and development of the settlements around them. Century Bridge, which spans the western mouth of the Haidian River in Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province, China, is one such bridge. On August 1, 2003, the Haikou Century Bridge was completed and opened to traffic. Over the past 20 years, the now iconic Century Bridge with its imposing stature has played witness to the economic and social development of Haikou. Let's explore the story behind the bridge and see just how far Haikou has come in the past two decades.

Staff check the integrity of the piers under the bridge and take photos with their smartphones to record their findings.

[Photo: Yang Zhongkai / Haikou Daily]

A "Cross-Century" lasting five years

On May 29, 1998, the construction of the Century Bridge broke ground. Just over five years later, on August 1, 2003, it finally opened to traffic, making it a project that not only spanned two centuries, but two millennia.

The Century Bridge provides a convenient, fast connection between downtown ​​Haikou and Haidian Island. The total length of the bridge's majestic span is 2,663 meters, with the bridge deck coming in at 635.9 meters. and it was one of the most technically complex and difficult to build bridges in China at the time, let alone Hainan.

The completion of the Century Bridge has cut the driving time from Longkun North Road to Haidian Island to just 3 minutes, a substantial time-saver that has driven the development and construction of the Haidian Island area.

Old photos of Century Bridge (file photo)

Shaking up local development

In the Century Bridge's monitoring room, dozens of screens, large and small, conduct real-time 24-hour monitoring of every movement of and on the bridge to ensure the integrity of the bridge and the safety of those using it. Long-term monitoring has revealed that daily traffic flow on the bridge has reached 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles this year.

Over the past 20 years, the bridge has taken a beating, experiencing numerous typhoons, rainstorms, and other extreme weather conditions and the weight of tens of thousands of vehicles passing over it every day. Daily inspections and maintenance are therefore key to making sure the bridge stays intact. "Every day, we carefully check to see whether there are any potholes, or the guardrails are loose...to ensure the safety of cars and pedestrians using the bridge," said Chen Huazhuang, an inspector for Haikou Urban Construction Group's Bridge and Tunnel Company.

Li Renjun, Director of the Economic Research Institute of Hainan University, believes that the increase in the value of the Haidian Island area in recent years has reshaped local development.

Today, the empty space under the southern approach of Century Bridge has been turned into parking lots, new energy vehicle charging stations, convenience stores, etc., giving rise to a new business model. Century Park, which also lies at the bridge's southern approach, has various football and basketball fields covering an impressive 30,000 square meters. Many of the city's residents come here to exercise every day and enjoy the stunning sea vistas.

Haikou Century Bridge monitoring room. [Photo: Yang Zhongkai / Haikou Daily]

July 22: Staff inspect the road surface and guardrails on the bridge. [Photo: Yang Zhongkai / Haikou Daily]

A future-proof landmark

"No matter how you photograph it, it looks stunning." Recently, travel blogger Fang Qi wrote on her socials: Century Bridge, a Haikou landmark, spans the Haidian River. To the north of the bridge sits Sky Mountain, to the east is the night market economy that sprawls along the riverfront, and to the south is the Wormhole Library. As night draws in, the neon lights of the bridge gradually wake up, bathing the Century Bridge in light and reflecting the prosperity of the city.

Adjacent to Century Bridge, in addition to urban parks such as Evergreen Park and Century Park, there are also scenic spots and business districts such as Century Cape Commercial Street and Sky Mountain, which always draw in the crowds.

Feng Suoxiao, General Manager of Haikou Urban Construction Group's Bridge and Tunnel Company, said that the bridge deck would be expanded to a two-way, 8-lane carriageway in the future to improve traffic flow. Century Bridge will continue to drive Haikou's high-quality economic and social development and play a key role in the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.