The city of Bangkok is growing at a phenomenal rate and is currently home to an estimated 10 million people and almost 25 million registered vehicles. As a result, the city’s roads are in a state of crisis, with log-jammed traffic becoming an almost permanent feature and travelling speed down to a crawl during peak times.

When it is finished, it is hoped that the new Bangkok Mega Bridge will bring a massive improvement to the current traffic situation in the city. The unofficially-named “Mega Bridge” is part of a new road network – the 13km Industrial Ring Road.

The Mega Bridge stretches across a meander in the Chao Phraya river so actually comprises two bridges of 702m and 582m in length, each crossing a north-south stretch of water. In the middle is a suspended intersection. Each bridge is 51m high to allow tall shipping to pass under: construction had to take place while the river’s shipping lanes remained open.

The bridge’s towers have been built on soft, wet land which has led to some complex engineering challenges. As the structure is a cable-stay bridge, it will not actually be stable until all the pieces of the bridge have finally been joined together.