How many bridges are there on the Yellow River: a transportation link spanning thousands of years
The Yellow River, as the mother river of the Chinese nation, not only gave birth to a splendid civilization, but also witnessed countless engineering miracles. Among them, the bridge over the Yellow River, as an important transportation hub connecting the two sides of the river, has always been the focus of people's attention. This article will sort out the number and distribution of bridges on the Yellow River, and combine it with hot topics in the past 10 days to present you with a detailed report.
1. Statistics on the number of bridges on the Yellow River

According to the latest data, more than 100 bridges have been built on the main stream of the Yellow River, covering 9 provinces and autonomous regions including Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong. The following are statistics on some representative bridges:
| Province | Bridge name | Construction time | bridge type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qinghai | The first bridge at the source of the Yellow River | 1988 | reinforced concrete bridge |
| Gansu | Lanzhou Zhongshan Bridge | 1909 | steel truss bridge |
| Henan | Zhengzhou Yellow River Bridge | 1986 | cable-stayed bridge |
| Shandong | Jinan Yellow River Bridge | 1982 | suspension bridge |
2. The relationship between hot topics in the past 10 days and the Yellow River Bridge
1.Infrastructure investment heats up: Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission announced that it will increase investment in transportation infrastructure, and many new bridge projects in the Yellow River Basin have been included in key projects, triggering heated discussions.
2.Ecological protection controversy: Some environmental groups have questioned whether the new bridge in the Yellow River Basin may damage the wetland ecology, and related topics continue to ferment on social media.
3.A new landmark for travel check-in: Lanzhou Zhongshan Bridge, a century-old cultural relic bridge, has become a popular check-in point on the short video platform due to its night scene lighting renovation. Related topics have been read more than 50 million times.
3. Technical evolution of the Yellow River Bridge
| period | Technical features | represents bridge |
|---|---|---|
| early 20th century | steel truss structure | Lanzhou Zhongshan Bridge |
| mid to late 20th century | prestressed concrete | Sanmenxia Yellow River Bridge |
| 21st century | long span cable stayed bridge | Shanxi-Shaanxi Yellow River Bridge |
4. The Yellow River Bridge in Future Planning
According to the "Yellow River Basin Ecological Protection and High-Quality Development Plan", more than 20 new bridges across the Yellow River will be built by 2030, mainly concentrated in the following areas:
| planning area | Estimated quantity | Functional positioning |
|---|---|---|
| Upstream (Qingganchuan River) | 5 seats | Poverty Alleviation Channel |
| Middle reaches (Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan) | 8 seats | Urban agglomeration connection |
| Downstream (Luyu) | 7 seats | Logistics hub |
5. The cultural significance of the Yellow River Bridge
These bridges are not only transportation facilities, but also cultural symbols. For example, the Zhongshan Bridge in Lanzhou is known as the "No. 1 Bridge on the Yellow River in the World", and its German architectural style has witnessed the cultural exchanges between China and the West in modern times; while the completion of the Zhengzhou Yellow River Bridge marks the beginning of a new era in bridge construction in China.
From the first modern Yellow River Bridge built in 1909 to now more than a hundred bridges flying north and south, the development history of the Yellow River Bridge is a condensed history of China's infrastructure construction. With the advancement of ecological protection and high-quality development strategies in the Yellow River Basin, there will be more "rainbows" crossing this mother river in the future.
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