Huai'an Water Interchange Junction Offers Visitors A Great View of Crossing Canals

The Grand Canal is regarded as the "mother river" of Huai'an, East China's Jiangsu Province. The Grand Canal and the people of Huai'an have been interdependent to each other for over two thousand years. Located at the intersection of Huai River and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the prosperity of Huai'an should be attributed to its convenient traffic conditions provided by the Grand Canal.

Huai'an Water Interchange Junction [Photo by Ji Xingming]

Huai'an Water Interchange Junction, the biggest water interchange junction in Asia, is located at the intersection of Huai River and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is a water interchange project which provides separate waterways for those bound for the sea and sailing on Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. With a total investment amount of over CNY 300 million, the junction was approved by the Ministry of Water Resources to start its construction in October, 2000 and opened to traffic in 2003.　　

Huai'an has played an important role in the water transportation system of China since ancient times. The water interchange, which connects the waterways of Huai River and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, not only promotes the connectivity of Huai'an, but also protects the city from floods.

An aerial view of the Grand Canal in Huai'an [Photo by Ji Xingming]

Standing on the the water interchange, you can enjoy a great view of the crossing canals. You can see ships sailing on the clear water and banks on two sides of the canal covered by greenery. The cable-stayed bridge at the bridgehead, a structure that integrates modern engineering with the culture of the ancient Huai'an Canal, has become an important attraction of Huai'an Water Conservancy Scenic Area.