Construction on the Hangzhou Bay Railway Bridge is speeding up. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Construction on the Hangzhou Bay Railway Bridge, a crucial component of the Nantong-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Ningbo High-speed Railway, has achieved a significant milestone in its construction progress, with over a thousand pile foundations laid on the south bank.

The Hangzhou Bay Railway Bridge, a pivotal part of the high-speed railway, comprises three channel bridges and several approach bridges spanning different sections, including the seawall, offshore areas, and shallow beaches. With a total length of 29.2 kilometers, it is the world's longest high-speed railway cross-sea bridge currently under construction.

The bridge's southern shore shallow beach approach bridge was designed with 1,195 piles, of which 948 have been completed. And 60 of 148 piles designed for the southern channel bridge have also been installed. This brings the total number of piles built on the southern shore of the bridge to over 1,000.

Progress is also evident in the construction of the Cixi Bridge section connecting the cross-sea railway bridge, including pile foundations, pier caps, pier bodies, and continuous beam installations.

The Nantong-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Ningbo High-speed Railway connects Nantong and Suzhou in Jiangsu province with Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang Province. With a total length of approximately 309.8 kilometers, the railway features 10 stations and is designed for a speed of 350 kilometers per hour.

The railway is expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of 2027. Upon completion, it will significantly enhance the transportation network of the Yangtze River Delta region by integrating with lines such as the Yancheng-Nantong High-Speed Railway, Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway and Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway.