An aerial view of Tian'e Longtan Mega Bridge that is currently under construction. [Photo by Chen Guanyan/China News Service]

The Tian'e Longtan Mega Bridge, the world's longest-spanning arch bridge now under construction, is 66 percent complete as of March 20 and is expected to open to the public by the end of 2023.

The 2,488.5-meter bridge with a main span of 600 meters is being built under the guidance of Zheng Jielian from the Chinese Academy of Engineering who also serves as a professor at Guangxi University.

It is located 6 kilometers from Longtan Dam in Hechi's Tian'e county and will serve as a key part of the Nandan-Tian'e (Xialao) Expressway.

Guangxi has garnered a strong reputation in China for the design and construction of its arch bridges as the region is full of karst landforms and mountainous areas. Its concrete arch bridges are known for their excellent mechanical performance and ultra-high durability.