Shiziyang Bridge Completes Hoisting of World's Largest Splay Saddles

Engineers on July 28, 2026, completed the installation of the world's largest splay saddles for China's Shiziyang Bridge, marking a key milestone in the construction of the double-deck suspension structure across the Pearl River Estuary. With all main and splay saddles now in place, the project has transitioned to its superstructure phase, clearing the way for main cable installation. The 35-kilometer Shiziyang Channel corridor is scheduled for full completion in 2029.

The successful placement of the splay saddles removes a major engineering bottleneck for the world's longest double-deck suspension bridge project. Validating heavy lifting and fabrication techniques at this scale provides a key technical baseline for future mega-bridge construction across deep maritime channels.

On July 28, 2026, construction crews completed the hoisting of the world's largest splay saddles for the Shiziyang Bridge in Guangdong Province. The milestone marks the successful placement of both the main cable saddles and splay saddles for the bridge, establishing the structural foundation required for the upcoming main cable installation phase. The Shiziyang Bridge serves as the core structure of the 35-kilometer Shiziyang Channel, described as the Pearl River Estuary's first double-deck composite transport corridor. The route connects Guangzhou's Nansha District with the towns of Shatian and Humen in Dongguan. Designed with a main span exceeding 2,000 meters, the bridge is set to become the world's first double-deck suspension bridge of such scale upon completion. According to project details, the structure aims to claim world records across five parameters: lane capacity, main tower height, main span length, main cable diameter, and anchor foundation size. Engineering the splay saddles presented distinct logistical and manufacturing demands. The bridge utilizes four custom-manufactured splay saddle assemblies designed to direct and spread the massive suspension cables into the anchorage foundations. Each individual assembly—comprising a saddle head, saddle body, and base block—measures approximately 9.2 meters high by 7.2 meters wide and weighs over 320 metric tonnes, making them the largest ever constructed for a suspension bridge. With saddle installation finished, project operations have shifted to the superstructure phase. Workers are currently constructing the temporary catwalks spanning the towers, an effort scheduled to wrap up before the end of 2026. Simultaneously, approach road infrastructure has crossed the halfway completion mark, with crews advancing box girder placement and steel truss girder pushing operations. The full Shiziyang Channel project is slated to open for traffic in 2029. Regional planners expect the completed corridor to directly link three major urban clusters within the Greater Bay Area, strengthening the core transportation network of the Golden Inner Bay and supporting regional economic integration.