The New Tallest Bridge In The World Opened Up In China Today. It Looks Amazing And It Only Took Them 3 Years To Build It, So Why Does It Take Forever For Things To Be Built Here?

NBC News - The world’s tallest bridge has officially opened for traffic — and it’s cutting down travel time for commuters by a significant amount. 

The record-breaking Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Southern China stands approximately 2,050 feet above the Beipan River, making it the tallest bridge in the world, according to NBC News and CNN. The newly-constructed bridge — which towers over the river and gorge in the province of Guizhou — officially opened to traffic on Sunday, Sept. 28. 

After three years and eight months of construction, the record-breaking bridge now connects major tourist spots in the region and cuts travel time across the canyon from two hours to two minutes, NBC News reported, citing local officials.

At 4,600 feet in length, it also sets the record for the world’s longest bridge in a mountainous region, according to NBC News.

The bridge took the “world’s tallest” record from another bridge in the Guizhou province, the Beipanjiang Bridge, which crosses over the same river.

One of the highest points of the bridge is home to a coffee shop that stands approximately 2,600 feet above the river, per NBC News. Located atop one of the towers, tourists can take a high-speed elevator up to the lookout point to enjoy the sweeping views.

Thrill seekers also have the option to try out bungee jumping on the bridge, or walk along a glass walkway at 1,900 feet in the air. 

I am fucking terrified of heights, so I will most definitely not be visiting this quaint little coffee shop sitting atop Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge. Nor will I be bungee jumping off of it. (I've never understood what possesses some people to do that. Am I missing out on some insane feeling of the greatest high + orgasm life has to offer or something by not almost killing myself? I'm genuinely curious.)

Anyway, this bridge is pretty sick and all, and it's a monster. It's the equivalent of two Eiffel Towers standing on top of each other 

And how they built it is pretty incredible.

But truth be told, I basically wanted to write this blog to throw a ricochet shot of sorts at the civil engineers and designers in our country. I'm not saying $280 million dollars isn't a shit ton of money, but can you imagine what this would have cost to build in America? And how long it would have taken? 

Have they even begun reconstructing that bridge in Baltimore that got wiped out over a year ago?

(Just googled it, and no. And to answer my question, they're "estimating" the rebuild will be 1.7 BILLION)

And yes, I'm dumb, but I'm not stupid. I know factors like union labor vs. slave labor, the non-existence of OSHA or anything close, and prison manpower plays a huge factor in things, but this shit is still incredible. How are they doing this?

And this?

And this?

And this- 

You get the point…

Ok last one then I'll swallow China's big commie load and wipe my mouth.

9 Fucking hours! Are you serious Clark?

It took them 2 years just to renovate the Belmont L station in Chicago. 

So my question isn't a knock or a diss to anybody. It comes from genuine curiosity. What are they doing in Asia, and other parts of the world, that we aren't doing here? Or is it a question of what we can't do here? I legit don't know. 

I just know that we have the smartest people in the world living here, going to the best schools in the world here. We have all the resources and money, and Americans work their asses off compared to most other cultures. So what is it? 

I wrote a blog a few years ago asking the question why nothing that gets built here anymore looks beautiful or timeless. Why is everything so drab and looks like it has no soul?

The resounding response was- "because of money you moron!"

But I'm not buying that. 

Billionaires have zero problem acuqiring billions of tax payer dollars to construct football and baseball stadiums- and those are all fucking incredible looking. So why aren't new civic projects, or private stuff?

Before the comment section gut neutered, here were a few of my favorite responses to this question - 

Makes sense. 

It took my group almost a year just to get approval from the City of Chicago for a fucking sign to hang outside our business. It had to get signed off on by 15 different people, had to be changed 20 different times, and then an inspector had to be schduled. The beuracray is very real. 

For anybody who's been to Tulum, or any of the other nicer parts of Mexico, you know that they build shit that blows your mind, and would literally never get approved of here in this country. They have tree houses and crows nests held together by rope 3 or 4 stories high in the trees where you eat sushi and take 100 pictures for your girlfriends instagram that they built yesterday. Sure you take your life into your hands but I feel like that's a given and agreed upon when you enter that country to begin with.

I'm rambling now but I'll end with the fact that I just got back from Italy, and for any of you that have been to Florence, or Milan, or seen another one of the more impressive Duomos in that country, (or the Segrada Familia in Barcelona), then you know. There is no way we could build something of that nature, on that scale today. So how in the world did they do it 700 years ago?

@Dudley_Dawson is right. You go all over Europe and you can be in the smallest, most hayseed town there is, and you will find something- usually a church or temple- that stops you dead in your tracks because of its awesomeness. I wish we had more things like that here. 

p.s. - some other cool stuff I found on the bird. I really need to visit Japan. It seems too beautiful to believe.