Bridge at summit, Langkawi

Langkawi Sky Bridge is a 125-metre (410 ft) curved pedestrian cable-stayed bridge in Malaysia, completed in 2005. The bridge deck is located 660 metres (2,170 ft) above sea level at the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang on Pulau Langkawi, an island in the Langkawi archipelago in Kedah. The Langkawi Sky Bridge can be reached by first taking the Langkawi Cable Car to the top station but, while an inclinator that will bring visitors from the top station to the bridge is being built, a further 15-20 minute trek is necessary through a temporary mountain track to reach the bridge (valid as of September 2015).

The bridge was closed in July 2012 for maintenance and upgrading. The reopening was put off several times, but it partially reopened in February 2015. The bridge is now fully accessible but only through a steep mountain track. Work is still continuing on the bridge, and it may close when necessary.

Design and layout

The bridge is 125 meters long, and 1.8 meters wide (the middle section has a wider walkway), with two steel railings as well as steel wire mesh on either sides. It is designed as a curved walkway to maximise the viewing experience, providing shifting perspective as a visitor walks along the bridge. The walkway, formed of steel and concrete panels set on top of an inverted triangular truss, connects two hilltops at Gunung Mat Chinchang. The first 25m of the bridge is straight, following 3 curved 25m sections, then a final straight 25m section. At each end of the walkway, the bridge has a 3.6m-wide triangular viewing platform that serves as resting and viewing areas for visitors.

The bridge is suspended by 8 cables from a 81.5m high single pylon, and hangs at about 100m above ground. The pylon is anchored onto a concreted pad set at an elevation of 604.5m, and its tip reached 686m above sea level. It is inclined at angles of 78° and 2° in two directions, and supported by two cables. The bridge is designed to carry a maximum capacity of 200 persons.

Construction

The bridge was pre-fabricated, and sections were then lifted to the top of the mountain using Russian Kamov helicopters, and the entire bridge assembled in its current position by the pylon. Helicopters were used in the erection of the pylons and the main section of the deck, later decks sections however were assembled using more conventional working cable and winch system.[2] The bridge was constructed in 12 months between August 2003 and August 2004. It was opened to the public on February 2005.


A new platform being built connecting an inclinator with the bridge

2012 upgrade

In July 2012, the bridge was closed for maintenance, upgrading and structural strengthening of the Sky Bridge. The whole structure would be of stainless steel, and when it is finished, it would have a 10m-long glass walkway in the middle span so that visitors may look down the valley from where they stand, and an inclinator that will bring visitors from the top station down to the bridge.[6]

The brige reopened in February 2015, and is accessible via a temporary mountain track. However, work on the construction of the inclinator and a new platform is still continuing as of September 2015.

Popular media

The last scene of Indian movie Don: The Chase Begins Again was filmed here.

Technical Information

Overall length of bridge: 125m
Area of the bridge: 500 sq. meters
Pylon height: 82m
Pylon foundation: 605m above sea level
Top of pylon: 687m above sea level
Maximum capacity: 200 persons.