Workers in Pingtan, Fujian province are accelerating construction efforts of 10 bridges for the laying of rails linking Pingtan and Fuzhou city, Pingtan Times reported on Nov 23.

Working ships and a sea platform are busy with the construction of a bridge across the Beidongkou channel in Pingtan, Fujian province. The bridge is for the laying of Fuzhou-Pingtan rails. [Photo/pingtan.gov.cn]

The construction of the 176-meter Fucuoling Bridge started in April, and the foundation work, including four piers and two abutments, was basically completed by the end of November, which is ahead of schedule, according to an engineering supervisor.

At the construction site of the 390-meter Ma’ershan Bridge, one of the most geographically -challenging projects with 11 piers required, workers have finished about one third of the foundation work. And the rest is estimated to be capped in June.

The Fuzhou-Pingtan rail is faced with complicated geographical conditions, including a lot of straits, canyons and mountains, which have lead to the construction of 28 bridges and 14 tunnels accounting for 67 kilometers, or 79 percent of the total length of the rail.

Background: Fuzhou-Pingtan Railway

Construction of the Fuzhou-Pingtan Railway – which will link the capital city of Fuzhou and the island county of Pingtan in Fujian province – began on Oct 31, 2013.

The line stretches 88.4 kilometers, with a designed speed of 160 km per hour (Fuzhou-Fuzhou South) and 200 km per hour (Fuzhou South to Pingtan), a passenger capacity of 50 million and cargo capacity of 15 million tons.

The railway project – with a total accrued investment of 26.8 billion yuan ($4.4 billion) – is expected to take over five years.