Tongling Yangtze River Highway Bridge

　　   Tongling Yangtze River Highway Bridge is situated 600 meters downstream of Yangshanji in Tongling City. It is a major bridge that spans the Yangtze River along the north-south trunk line connecting Xuzhou to Tunxi. The bridge has a total length of 2,592 meters, including a main span of 1,152 meters and approach bridges totaling 1,440 meters. The deck is 23 meters wide. As a prestressed reinforced concrete double-tower, double-cable-plane cable-stayed bridge, its overall performance is among the best in China and advanced by international standards.

　　   The bridge is lightweight and aesthetically pleasing, reflecting contemporary bridge construction ideals. With a single bridge spanning the river, it breathes life into the entire region. The completion of Tongling Bridge has played an immeasurable role in connecting transportation between northern Anhui, the Jianghuai area, and southern Anhui, alleviating the long-standing strain on north-south transport across the river. It has accelerated the economic development of Tongling City, thereby laying the foundation for the city to become a central hub within inland Anhui. In addition, the South Bridge Park features numerous small scenic spots such as "Phoenix Nirvana," "Anchor Drill," and "Merit Stele Pavilion," attracting large numbers of tourists for sightseeing.

　　   The Yangtze River nurtures the Chinese nation, blesses generations, and is a proud son of heaven with a long history. Flowing over 400 kilometers through Anhui, the Yangtze River basin boasts abundant natural resources and a strong industrial base, dotted with picturesque landscapes such as Huangshan, Jiuhua Mountain, and Tianzhu Mountain—scenery that is truly unique in the world. However, since ancient times, the Yangtze has also been a formidable barrier, blocking north-south passage and hindering economic development, bringing longstanding suffering. Now, the first major river bridge in Anhui—the Tongling Yangtze River Highway Bridge—stands proudly, transforming the river crossing without boats, turning a natural divide into a smooth path. This is a blessing for Tongling, for Anhui, and a magnificent event for the Yangtze. Designed as a prestressed concrete double-tower sector-shaped cable-stayed bridge, Tongling Yangtze River Highway Bridge has a rational structure, novel design, majestic presence, and is a spectacular sight to behold. Its main span is 1,152 meters, with 1,440 meters of approach bridges to the north and south, totaling 2,592 meters. The towers rise 153.665 meters high, and the main span measures 432 meters. The bridge is designed to meet Class I navigation standards with a clearance height of 24 meters beneath it. Among bridges of this type, it ranks third in the world and is the largest in Asia. The supporting highway connects northward via Hefei to Xuzhou and southward to Huangshan and then on to Jiangxi, also forming a major transportation artery in the heart of East China.

　　   The construction of the bridge was proposed in 1984, with groundbreaking on December 15, 1991, and official opening to traffic on December 26, 1995. The total investment was 450 million RMB. The bridge was designed by the Highway Planning and Design Institute of the Ministry of Transport, constructed by the China Communications Construction Company and Hunan Provincial Road & Bridge Construction Company, and supervised by the First Highway Survey and Design Institute of the Ministry of Transport. During the construction, enthusiastic donations from society and citizens totaled 6.5 million RMB. The bridge was named by Li Peng, then Premier of the State Council. A bridge stretches across the river, adding new splendor to the mighty Yangtze, connecting all directions, and marking a great leap forward for future generations. In this time of prosperity and celebration, we erect this stone tablet as a lasting record.