Yangtze River Bridge construction project

Project Overview

  • Project Title: China Yangtze River Four-Bridge Construction Project

  • Date: March 2000

  • Authors: Nobuhiro Mori, Koei Research Institute; Toshisada Katsurada, Alphaten Co., Ltd.

Project Details

Project Locations and Designs

  • Location: Various across Yangtze River, China.

  • Main Bridges:

    • Hefei-Tongling Highway and Tongling Yangtze River Bridge

    • Huangshi Yangtze River Bridge

    • Second Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge

    • Second Chongqing Yangtze River Bridge

Project Description

Ministry of Communications Projects

  • Hefei-Tongling Highway:

    • Construction Length: 123 km

    • Main Bridge Length: 1,152 m

    • Bridge Type: PC cable-stayed bridge

    • Loan Amount: ¥8,603 million

    • Interest Rate: 2.6%

    • Repayment Period: 30 years, 10 years grace

  • Huangshi Yangtze River Bridge:

    • Construction Length: 1,060 m (PC rigid-frame bridge)

    • Loan Amount: ¥3,700 million

    • Interest Rate: 2.5%

Ministry of Construction Projects

  • Second Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge:

    • Bridge Length: 1,877 m

    • Loan Amount: ¥4,760 million

    • Interest Rate: 2.5%

  • Second Chongqing Yangtze River Bridge:

    • Bridge Length: 888 m

    • Loan Amount: ¥4,764 million

    • Interest Rate: 2.6%

Currency and Economic Overview

  • Currency: Yuan (RMB)

  • Exchange Rate Trends: Fluctuations from 4.78 Yuan/US$ (1990) to 8.28 Yuan/US$ (1999)

  • CPI Rates: Rising from 100 in 1990 to 197.7 in 1999.

Engineering Aspects

Types of Bridges

  • Cable-stayed Bridges:

    • Central Spans: 432m (Tongling), 400m (Wuhan), 444m (Chongqing)

  • Continuous PC Rigid Frame Bridges:

    • Common design used for Huangshi Bridge.

Road Standards in China

Classifications

  1. Expressways: Major routes with significant political and economic importance.

  2. Grade One Public Roads: High traffic (25,000+ vehicles/day), automobiles only.

  3. Grade Two Roads: Connect main cities and centers (4,500-7,000 medium vehicles/day).

  4. Grade Three Roads: Average daily traffic of 2,000 vehicles.

  5. Grade Four Roads: Up to 200 vehicles per day, includes rural connections.

Project Evaluation Criteria

  1. Planning: Assessment of initial design and feasibility.

  2. Implementation: Analysis of delays and adjustments in scheduling.

  3. Operation and Maintenance: Financial sustainability and maintenance practices.

  4. Effects and Impacts: Both direct benefits and broader economic impacts.

Key Findings and Analysis

Project Objectives and Economic Impact

  • Hefei-Tongling Project: Improve north-south transport and mining industry.

  • Huangshi Project: Address cross-river traffic demand and stimulate local economy.

  • Wuhan and Chongqing Projects: Alleviate congestion and support urban development.

Economic Performance Metrics

  • EIRR (Economic Internal Rate of Return) and FIRR (Financial Internal Rate of Return) recalculated due to lower than expected traffic volumes.

Operation Insights

Toll Collection and Traffic Volumes

  • Toll Rates vary between bridges, with congestion reduction noted post-completion.

  • Traffic volumes: Below predictions yet rising steadily.

Environmental Considerations

  • Evaluated aspects include air quality, noise levels, and water impact; overall environmental disruptions were minimal.

Overall Evaluation

  1. Hefei-Tongling: Appropriate project content but traffic and toll income objectives unmet.

  2. Huangshi: Successful with growing potential post-expressway opening.

  3. Second Wuhan: Strong regional impact despite minor delays and damage issues.

  4. Second Chongqing: Awaiting growth in traffic volumes but local currency overruns noted.

Lessons Learned

  • Importance of local currency budget considerations and market adaptation.

  • Need for thorough planning regarding ground conditions.

  • Enhancement of traffic prediction practices is crucial for future projects.