On the morning of April 28, as the last segmental beam was precisely positioned by the bridge erection machine, the segmental beam erection construction for the entire Foshan West Station to Guangzhou North Station section of the Guangzhou-Foshan Circular Intercity Railway (hereinafter referred to as the "Guangfo West Loop Intercity Railway") of the Pearl River Delta Intercity Rail Transit was successfully completed, marking the full connection of the Guangfo West Loop Intercity Railway. The project has officially transitioned to subsequent works including bridge ancillary facilities, electromechanical systems, and track laying, bringing it one step closer to completion and opening.

The Guangfo West Loop Intercity Railway spans "two cities and three districts," with multiple sections crossing rivers, major arterial roads, and important municipal pipelines. The line includes control-critical works such as large-tonnage swivel cable-stayed bridges over railways, long-span continuous girder bridges under complex conditions, and deep-water continuous rigid-frame bridges crossing rivers. The route passes through areas with highly developed karst geology multiple times, presenting complex geological conditions, while also facing challenges such as deep-water operations, proximity to high-voltage power lines, and limited construction space. Additionally, land acquisition, demolition, and relocation along the route involved multiple villages and towns and large structures, making coordination tasks extremely arduous and at one point becoming a prominent bottleneck constraining construction progress.

Facing a complex external environment including 1,603 mu of land acquisition within the red line and 16 relocations of high-voltage power lines of 110 kV and above, Guangzhou Metro adopted a strategy of "phased approval, phased construction, and multi-line advancement," establishing a "one-on-one" dedicated coordination mechanism. With the support of multi-level departments including provincial, municipal, and district/town authorities along the route as well as local power supply bureaus, all land acquisition, demolition, and relocation tasks were efficiently completed, laying a solid foundation for construction advancement.

In response to major risks faced by the bridge construction of the Guangfo West Loop Intercity Railway—including 2,851 karst pile foundations across the entire line, 12 bridge erection machines operating simultaneously, over a hundred high-altitude work surfaces, and multiple sections passing beneath operational railway lines—the Guangzhou Metro construction management team overcame three major technical difficulties: karst pile foundation construction, deep-water pier construction, and cable-stayed bridge swivel erection, advancing the closure of 39 special span bridges according to scheduled milestones.

To ensure the efficient advancement of precast segmental assembly and erection for continuous rigid-frame bridges, each work zone deployed 12 bridge erection machines operating in a 24-hour cross-shift mode, driving simultaneous erection from both large and small chainage directions. The average daily segmental beam erection rate increased from 4 spans per month to 6 spans per month, effectively ensuring that key bridge milestones were achieved ahead of schedule.

During the construction process, Guangzhou Metro builders strengthened safety and quality control, establishing a "grid-based + penetrating" three-dimensional management system. They innovatively applied advanced techniques such as new paste grout injection for karst treatment and ultra-high performance composite concrete (UHPC) railings, significantly enhancing the level of safety control and quality assurance in bridge construction. They also comprehensively implemented multi-dimensional intelligent and professional measures including a digital management innovation platform and a joint inspection mechanism with engineering insurance experts, strengthening project management throughout the construction process.

At the same time, Guangzhou Metro builders prioritized enhanced management of key construction phases including the swivel erection of large-tonnage cable-stayed bridges over railways and expressways, cantilever form traveler construction of long-span continuous girders under complex environmental conditions, and large-scale precast segmental continuous rigid-frame assembly and erection, achieving refined management throughout the project lifecycle and ensuring orderly progress of the entire construction process.

According to reports, the Guangfo West Loop Intercity Railway has a total length of approximately 47 kilometers with 7 stations. The line connects Nanhai District of Foshan City with Huadu District and Baiyun District of Guangzhou City, serving as a key backbone line of the Pearl River Delta intercity rail transit network.

As the "final piece of the puzzle" of the Guangzhou-Foshan Circular Line, the project upon completion will help form a complete Guangzhou-Foshan intercity rail transit loop, comprehensively covering the core industrial zones and densely populated towns of northern Guangzhou and Foshan. It will achieve efficient connections between comprehensive transportation hubs such as Foshan West Station and Guangzhou North Station, serving as an important link for strengthening Guangzhou-Foshan connectivity, enhancing regional comprehensive transportation capacity, and serving public travel needs.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News