Do you know which is the world’s highest bridge in the world is? It is about 800 kilometers from the coastal city of Mazatlan in central Mexico. This distance may not be very long in this era. Because if there were good roads, it would not have taken more than 8-10 hours to cover these 8000 kilometers.
It was supposed to be the same here. But as I said before, if there were ‘good roads’, there would be no question. Yes, there was no such good road here. The only way to get from the northern coastal region of Mexico to the center of the country was very complicated.
You had to cross high mountains, low valleys, and cross a tiring road like a snake to get to the big city of the country. A narrow two-lane road at the foot of the mountain. The mountain is so helpless that when the mountain says it, this road bends exactly as it says.
It is a dangerous bend. Mountains on one side and a dangerous valley on the other. The road is so spiral that at times it feels like it will turn around and eat itself. This means that if a driver makes a small mistake here, the only punishment is death.
And so accidents happen on this road all the time. And that’s why this deadly bend is also called ‘Devil’s Backbone’. In Bengali, it means ‘Devil’s Backbone’. But no one can escape its grip. Because no matter how dangerous this road is, it is the road from the northern coast of Mexico to the center of the country! But it needs a solution.
The Mexican government therefore made a very big decision to solve it. They will connect the coastal city of Mazatlan with the Durango area in the center of the country. But even if they say they will do it, they can’t do it. The numerous canyons between these two regions have left the engineers worried.
After much calculation, they saw that the biggest challenge in building this highway is to build a bridge over the Baluarte River in the canyon. The height of the bridge will rival the 324-meter-high Eiffel Tower! This will be the highest bridge in the world.
The story of the construction of the world’s highest bridge
You can imagine! It is natural for any engineer to be breathless when working on such a project. But why would engineers stop? No, that’s not the case. They did not stop at all. Therefore, after much speculation, on a sunny morning in February 2008, the work of the world’s highest bridge, the Baluarte Bridge, began.
The construction of the world’s highest bridge began. The construction of the bridge continued without sleep for 1,500 engineers and workers. 447,000 cubic meters of stone had to be used to build the foundation of the lower part of the bridge alone. After that, almost four years passed. During this time, 1,200 tons of steel and 90,000 cubic meters of concrete were used.
And during this time, how many cyclones, tornadoes, and other obstacles did it come to, but what does that matter! The work of the world’s highest bridge is said to be underway. But the work went on at full speed.
And finally, on January 5 of this year, Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced the official opening of the Baluarte Bridge. The Baluarte Bridge, the world’s highest bridge, commemorated the 200th anniversary of independence from Spain.
Because on the same day, they were also freed from the ‘Devil’s Backbone’. Now, from the coastal city of Mazatlan to the Durango area, they no longer have to use the dangerous ‘Devil’s Backbone’.
That means that the risky 10-hour journey will now become a scenic route thanks to the Baluarte Bridge, the world’s highest bridge, and that too in just one and a half to two hours. Imagine! This bridge is not only about architecture, it is also a challenge thrown by relatively underdeveloped Mexico to its neighboring United States.
Baluarte Bridge at a Glance
- Location: Baluarte, Mexico
- Type: Suspension bridge (cable-stayed)
- Length: 1,124 meters (3,688 ft)
- Width: 20 meters (66 ft)
- Lanes: 4
- Longest span: 520 meters (1,322 ft)
- Height: 403 meters (1,322 ft)
- Construction period: 2008–2012