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Taiwan's Danjiang Bridge: World's Longest Single-Mast Cable-Stayed Bridge Opens

Taiwan's Danjiang Bridge, the world's longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge, officially opened for traffic on Tuesday after an inauguration ceremony on Saturday. The bridge connects Tamsui and Bali districts across the Tamsui River, significantly improving regional connectivity and easing congestion. Designed by the late Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, the bridge features a signature curved single mast and supports multiple modes of transport. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te described the structure as a symbol of national pride and international recognition during the opening ceremony.

Key Points: Taiwan's Danjiang Bridge Opens: World's Longest Single-Mast Bridge

  • World's longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge
  • Connects Tamsui and Bali districts
  • Designed by late architect Zaha Hadid
  • Reduces travel distance by 15 km
  • Opens after 30 years of planning and delays
2 min read

Taiwan's Danjiang bridge, world's longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge, opens for traffic

Taiwan's Danjiang Bridge, the world's longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge, opens after 30 years, boosting connectivity and national pride.

"This bridge is Taiwan's pride. It will become a landmark for Taiwan and another calling card for the country on the international stage. - Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te"

Taipei, May 12

Taiwan's Danjiang Bridge, the world's longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge, opens for traffic on Tuesday following an inauguration ceremony held on Saturday, marking the completion of a landmark infrastructure project nearly three decades in the making.

According to Focus Taiwan, the bridge connects Taiwan's Tamsui and Bali districts across the mouth of the Tamsui River on the northern side of the country and is expected to significantly improve regional connectivity.

During the opening ceremony of the bridge on Saturday, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te described the structure as a symbol of national pride and international recognition.

"This bridge is Taiwan's pride. It will become a landmark for Taiwan and another calling card for the country on the international stage," Lai said, as quoted by Focus Taiwan.

"I also hope people across the country can, through the construction of the Danjiang Bridge, feel the respect Taiwan has earned internationally. If we stand united and work together, Taiwan will certainly become even better," he added.

The ceremony was also attended by Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai, Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih.

Lai also praised the engineers and construction teams, especially Kung Sing Engineering Corp., for overcoming major technical and environmental challenges in delivering a project of unprecedented complexity.

Officials said the bridge was designed to support multiple modes of transport, including pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, cars, buses and light rail, making it one of the most versatile transport structures in Taiwan, as reported by Focus Taiwan.

Designed by the late Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, the bridge features a signature curved single mast inspired by the movements of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre performers and spans nearly one kilometre across the river estuary.

Authorities expect the bridge to ease congestion around the Guandu Bridge and improve access between New Taipei and Taoyuan International Airport.

Once fully operational, it will reduce travel distance between Tamsui and Bali by around 15 kilometres, cutting commute times by approximately 25 minutes and reducing traffic on existing routes by about 30 per cent, as per Focus Taiwan.

Originally proposed in 1998, the project faced repeated delays due to environmental reviews, design revisions and technical challenges.

Construction finally began in 2019 after multiple failed tender attempts, with engineers later overcoming issues including underwater leakage and strong winds at the river estuary.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
A 25-minute reduction in commute time! That's the kind of progress we need in India too. Our metro and bridge projects often get stuck in delays and cost overruns (I'm looking at you, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link). Taiwan has shown how to get it done through technical grit. Zaha Hadid's design is stunning, but let's not forget the decades of delays here too—reminds me of our own nightmare projects.
J
James A
As an infrastructure enthusiast, this is genuinely impressive. A single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge spanning nearly a kilometer? That's cutting-edge. The inclusion of light rail and pedestrian paths is exactly what modern urban planning should look like. India needs more multimodal transit solutions like this—imagine a bridge in Mumbai connecting to the airport with train, car, and bike lanes. Delhi's Signature Bridge could learn a thing or two from this!
V
Vikram M
Zaha Hadid's design is iconic, but calling this "Taiwan's national pride" is misleading. Taiwan is a province of China, and such infrastructure is a credit to the great work being done across the entire motherland. From the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to this, Chinese engineering continues to set global standards. The sooner Taiwanese authorities acknowledge the One-China principle, the better for cross-strait collaboration and shared prosperity.
S
Sarah B
A 30% reduction in traffic on existing routes is no small feat. But it took 26 years from proposal to completion! And it only took 6 years to build after 20 years of delays. Sounds like Indian bureaucracy, honestly. We need to learn from their perseverance—environmental reviews, design changes, leaks, wind issues... they faced everything and still delivered. Meanwhile, our projects like the Eastern Peripheral Expressway face court cases over tree cutting for years.

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