A biking opportunity with a difference has come to be in the form of access to the islet of Baguazhou in the Yangtze River, via a wide new pedestrian lane which has just been added to one of the bridges which span the River.
It was on 2 July that the 4-metre wide lanes on either side of the Shangba Jiajiang Bridge opened to foot and bicycle traffic.
The bridge itself, which opened on 24 December last year, constitutes the second road link between the Nanjing mainland and Baguazhou, following the Nanjing Yangtze River No. 2 Bridge (now renamed Nanjing Baguazhou Yangtze River Bridge), completed as long ago as 2001.
So far so good. Yet, to permit the passage of ships requires a clearance of 32 metres. For bikes and those on foot, this means a spiraled ascent and descent. As many as four loops are required to be made in order to ascend or descend the deck of the bridge.
But those who make the effort are in for a reward indeed, in the form of unparalleled views of the Yangtze River. Opportunities for selfies are also almost limitless.
Apart from the smartphone-toting tourists, the bridge brings tremendous convenience to local people.
And it was Zhou Xiaoling who was the one to end the history that residents of Baguazhou could only rely on ferries and cars to escape their island home.
As first to cross the bridge using the new lane, Zhou said, “It’s only 15 minutes from Qiaobei to Baguazhou by bike. You can enjoy the natural scenery after a walk”, reported the Yangtze Evening News.
The bridge is easily accessed by grabbing a shared bike from outside exit 1 of Liuzhou Dong Lu Metro Station on Line 3. Ride north for 2-3 km before turning right to below the Puyi highway. The ascent to the bridge is another 1-2 km down the road.
