Shanghai's longest cable-stayed bridge at the time of construction has been replaced less than 40 years after its completion. The original Maogang Bridge in Songjiang District, around 50km southwest of Shanghai, was completed in 1982 and its 200m-long cable-supported main span earned it the nickname 'mother of Shanghai's cable-stayed bridges'. It was credited as the engineering inspiration for the construction of the 8.3km-long Shanghai Nanpu Bridge, which at the time of opening in 1991 was believed to be the fourth longest cable-stayed bridge in the world with a composite main span of 423m. According to the Songjiang District local authority, the old concrete crossing no longer met the needs of marine or land-based traffic. Its cables were corroding and the structure deteriorating. In addition, it only offered 4m of clearance, preventing larger vessels from traversing between Shanghai and neighbouring Zheijiang Province. The deck of its replacement is 7m above water level, enabling passage to most cargo vessels.
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