Oslo, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Norway's second bridge, built by a Chinese company, is helping the development of northern Norway.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Yuliang.
On December 9, 2018, the Harrow Grande Bridge, Norway's second largest bridge, built by a Chinese company, was opened to traffic. For five years, thousands of vehicles have been passing through the bridge every day on both sides of the fjord, fueling the prosperity and development of northern Norway.
As a benchmark project for Chinese enterprises to "enter Norway" and an important achievement of the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Norway, the Harrow Grande Bridge was built by Sichuan Highway and Bridge Construction Group (Sichuan Road and Bridge). Located near the port city of Narvik in northern Norway, the bridge is 1,533 meters long, the largest span suspension bridge in the Arctic Circle, and an important part of the European international highway E6 that runs through the whole of Norway and southwest Sweden. The bridge shortens the journey from Narvik to other cities in the Arctic Circle, such as Tromsø and Harstad.
The Harrogrand Bridge has had a positive impact on traffic in the northern part of Norway," Daglen Carson, project manager for suspension bridges at the Norwegian Highway Authority's Northern Regional Branch, told reporters, "and in particular has had a very positive effect on the development of Narvik and the surrounding area, even higher than the Norwegian Highway Authority's expectations." ”
According to data provided by the bridge operator, a total of 1.59 million vehicles passed through the Harrow Grande Bridge in 2022, an increase of 16% compared to 2021 and a 35% increase compared to 2019. The agency**, the number of vehicles passing through the bridge is expected to increase further in the future.
The city of Narvik** said in a report that the opening of the bridge has improved local traffic conditions, which in turn has led to the development of pillar industries such as fishing and mining, making the region more prosperous.
The Harrow Grande Bridge is not only a positive resource for the transport and economic development of the northern part of Norway, but also for its structural design. At the Harsta-Narvik Airport, the Narvik City Visitor Centre, restaurants and hotels, you can find large texts**, posters and brochures about the bridge. The bridge has become a local landmark and has been hailed as "the most beautiful bridge in the world" by local residents and engineering enthusiasts. In 2020, the Harrow Grande Bridge was nominated for the annual Outstanding Structural Award by the International Association of Bridges and Structural Engineers, attracting the attention of industry insiders around the world.
Carson was involved in the project on behalf of the Norwegian Highway Authority. Reflecting on his connection to the bridge, Carson is still impressed: "Being involved in the construction and completion of such a beautiful bridge as the Harrogrand Bridge creates a special connection with this bridge. I am very happy and proud to say that I was part of this project team. ”
Wang Qianwen, deputy general manager of Sichuan Road and Bridge Norway Branch, told reporters that the construction team solved technical problems such as large spans and irregular space design of bridges, overcame the impact of strong winds, severe cold, and polar nights, and completed the project with quality and quantity in accordance with Norwegian requirements, reflecting the level of bridge construction in China. Before the bridge was opened to traffic, Narvik City awarded the city's builder trophy to the Sichuan Road and Bridge Project Department to express its recognition and gratitude for the construction of the project.
In September this year, the reporter went to the Harrog Grande Bridge to cover the news and met Peter Hart, a British tourist who was running on the bridge. He told reporters that he is a bridge enthusiast and will visit all kinds of bridges when he travels or travels.
The fjord across which the bridge crosses is a wind outlet, and when I run on the bridge, the strong wind blows me very unpleasantly. It's hard to imagine how many difficulties the builders encountered during the construction process," said Hart, "It was not easy to build such a beautiful bridge in the Arctic Circle!"”