Highest bridge unveiled at more than 2,000ft above ground

Engineering and “Highest” vs “Tallest”

• Commenters clarify “highest bridge” = deck farthest above ground, not tallest towers or longest span.
• This bridge’s deck is ~2,000 ft above the canyon, but its towers are shorter than on some other bridges; links to “highest” vs “tallest/longest” bridge lists are shared.
• Some joke about stretching definitions (e.g., putting a toy bridge over a deep borehole) and note that technically the span type is a fairly standard suspension bridge in an unusually deep canyon.

Load Testing and Safety

• The 96-truck load test draws attention: some find it unnerving, others say it’s standard practice to validate models (like unit tests for code).
• Emphasis that tests are to measure deflection and vibration well within safety margins, not to see “if it buckles.” Wind loading is noted as a larger concern than static truck load at that height.
• People speculate some trucks might be remotely operated; others note the drivers in photos look relaxed.

Awe, Fear, and Human Experience

• Many praise the engineering and dramatic scenery; several link to drone/YouTube flyovers and note vertigo-inducing views.
• Some say they’d be too afraid to drive over such a high bridge; others mention design tricks like blocking the view to reduce rubbernecking.
• Planned attractions (bungee jumping, track with safety harness, cafés, light/water shows) are highlighted as making it a “fun place to be,” not just a utilitarian crossing.

China’s Infrastructure Push vs the US/West

• Strong admiration for China’s rapid, large-scale infrastructure (high-speed rail, mountain bridges) and the apparent competence and repetition that keep costs and timelines down.
• Multiple commenters contrast this with the US: regulatory gridlock, NIMBYism, court-centered governance, politicized planning, and loss of institutional know‑how lead to 5–10x costs and decade-long timelines.
• Some argue many Western countries similarly “stopped building” once prosperous and homeowner-dominated; others point to specific US projects (floating bridges, New River Gorge) as evidence it used to be possible.

Economic Rationale and Opportunity Cost

• Debate centers on whether building such a bridge in poor Guizhou “pencils out.”
• Supporters highlight cutting a 2‑hour trip to ~2 minutes: time savings, reduced fuel imports/emissions, cheaper freight, and potential to unlock regional growth and tourism.
• Critics stress opportunity cost and future maintenance burdens: a bridge to a low-traffic area might crowd out more valuable projects, especially if built partly as a “flex” or jobs program.
• Some liken it to Keynesian stimulus: better to pay people to build real infrastructure than to do nothing.

Politics, Governance, and Rights Tradeoffs

• One thread argues China’s meritocratic, engineer-heavy technocracy “gets things done,” contrasted with US politicians portrayed as corrupt or paralyzed.
• Others push back, citing China’s crushed dissent, lack of meaningful consent, and possible overbuilding that may age badly when maintenance comes due.
• A few openly say they’d trade voting/speech rights for material security (cheap housing, healthcare), while others reply that such things should be pursued via democratic pressure at home.

Global Development and “Colonization” Concerns

• Some characterize China as a “modern Roman empire” of civil engineering; others darkly compare labor conditions and raise modern-slavery statistics.
• Discussion touches on China’s overseas infrastructure financing (e.g., ports, African railways) as a softer, economic form of colonialism, with disagreement over how comparable it is to historic Western conquest.