A new highway elevated above water has been officially opened in Xingshan county, Central China's Hubei province, Aug 9, 2015. To avoid cutting through forest or tunneling through earth, an approximately 4km stretch of highway has been built above a river that runs through mountains. Those involved in the project are claiming it to be China's first "ecological overwater road". (Photo: China News Service/Liu Liangwei)
An eco-friendly overwater highway opened this week in the mountainous Hubei Province, the first of its kind in the country.
The 10.9km-long highway, 4.4km of which is over water, splits into two as it meets a mountain along the route, a design chosen specifically to avoid damage to the mountain's ecology.
The 70-million-USD project has been dubbed "the most beautiful overwater highway" in China for the breathtaking views of the mountain, water and sky.
The highway is expected to boost logistics and tourism at its ending point in the remote village of Xingshan. Several locations around the village already enjoy developed tourism.
It greatly reduces the driving time between bigger towns and cities and Xingshan, which is the hometown of Wang Zhaojun, known as one of the four beauties of ancient China.
"We can have development and still protect the environment," Twitter user "Shankar Sharma" said, giving a thumbs up in response to Xinhua's tweet about the highway.
