1. What is the PNG Highlands Highway and Why Is It So Important?

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Highlands Highway stands as a flagship transportation infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative, and one of the most critical transportation corridors in Papua New Guinea. Located primarily in the Eastern Highlands Province, this vital artery serves approximately 60% of PNG’s total population, forming the economic lifeline of the country’s northwest region. It also represents the longest highway project our company has supported in Papua New Guinea, marking a milestone in our overseas infrastructure contributions.

Phase 1 of the project, stretching 430 kilometers, commenced construction on February 1, 2019. During execution, the engineering team overcame extraordinary challenges, including extensive soft foundation treatment in swampy terrains and complex humus soil stabilization in primary rainforest areas. Through rigorous planning and technical innovation, the project was successfully completed and opened to traffic as scheduled.

2. What Extreme Geological Challenges Does Phase 2 Face?

Currently, Phase 2 is underway across ground dominated by deep, unmineralized humus—organic soil with extremely poor stability, ultra-high water content, and high geological disaster risk. Local engineers vividly describe the condition as “inserting chopsticks into tofu.” To establish stable and reliable foundations, the project team adopted high-friction friction pile technology, driving piles more than 40 meters deep into the humus layer. This solution ensures outstanding structural stability, long-term operational safety, and extended service life for bridges and road sections alike.

3. Why Is the Highlands Highway Called a “Road of Prosperity”?

Once fully operational, the upgraded Highlands Highway will drastically improve mobility for local communities. It will streamline the distribution and marketing of key local products such as Juncao grass and upland rice, unlock the development potential of agricultural and mineral resources along the route, drive robust regional economic growth, and strengthen PNG’s national road network. In every sense, this highway is a genuine “Road of Prosperity” for the people of Papua New Guinea.

4. What Exactly Is a Bailey Bridge?

A Bailey bridge is a modular, prefabricated steel truss bridge originally developed for military and emergency use, now widely applied in permanent, temporary, and emergency civilian projects. It consists of standardized steel truss panels, cross beams, deck panels, and connecting members, which can be quickly assembled on site without large machinery.

Key advantages of Bailey bridges include:

Lightweight structural components but high bearing capacity

Fast assembly and disassembly, greatly shortening construction periods

Flexible combination to adapt to different spans and widths

Strong adaptability to complex terrains such as soft soil, marshes, and mountainous areas

Reusable and cost-effective

Due to these benefits, Bailey bridges have become one of the most widely used modular steel bridge solutions in global infrastructure construction, disaster relief, and highway upgrading projects.

5. Who Is EVERCROSS Bridge and What Role Did We Play?

As an integrated industry-and-trade steel structure bridge export enterprise, EVERCROSS BRIDGE TECHNOLOGY (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD. brings professional R&D capabilities and extensive bridge manufacturing experience to global infrastructure projects. Headquartered in Shanghai with an advanced production base in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, we design and manufacture steel bridges that fully comply with major international bridge design codes, including Australian, European, and American standards.

For the challenging PNG Highlands Highway program, we provided customized Bailey bridges engineered in strict accordance with Australian bridge design standards, delivering robust, modular, and rapidly deployable bridging solutions that became indispensable to the project’s progress.

Our Bailey bridge systems are precision-engineered to meet the stringent requirements of the AS 5100 series specifications and AS 4100 steel structure standards, ensuring compliance with the technical, safety, and durability norms widely adopted in Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific region. These modular steel truss bridges offer exceptional advantages: lightweight yet high-strength components, fast factory prefabrication, simple on-site assembly, strong adaptability to soft and complex foundations, and reliable performance under heavy loads and harsh tropical climates.

For a project facing soft humus soils, remote locations, and tight construction schedules, EVERCROSS Bailey bridges provided a practical, time-efficient, and cost-effective bridging solution that kept the highway construction on track.

Beyond technical compliance, our support for the PNG Highlands Highway reflects our long-term commitment to infrastructure development in emerging economies. We understand that reliable bridges are more than structures—they are connectors of people, markets, and opportunities. By delivering high-quality, code-compliant steel bridges to remote and challenging regions, we help turn infrastructure blueprints into tangible economic and social benefits.

Our integrated model combines Shanghai-based R&D and commercial expertise with Zhenjiang’s large-scale, precision manufacturing capacity, enabling us to control product quality, optimize delivery lead times, and provide comprehensive after-sales support for international clients.

Whether for emergency replacement, temporary access, permanent crossing, or support during highway reconstruction, our Bailey bridges and steel truss bridging solutions have been widely used across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands. Each project reinforces our reputation as a trusted partner capable of meeting diverse international standards and extreme on-site conditions.

Q&A – Frequently Asked Questions by International Clients

Q: What international standards can your bridges meet?

A: Our steel bridges, including Bailey bridges, are designed and manufactured to comply with Australian standards (AS 5100, AS 4100), European codes (Eurocode 3/4), American standards, and other widely recognized international bridge specifications, ensuring full acceptance by local authorities and main contractors.

Q: What is your production and delivery capacity for overseas bridge projects?

A: With a large modern manufacturing base in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, we maintain stable mass-production capacity. Typical Bailey bridge and modular steel bridge orders can be produced and ready for shipment within 4–6 weeks, supported by professional packaging and global logistics coordination.

Q: Can your bridges adapt to soft soil, high humidity, and tropical climate conditions?

A: Yes. Our bridges feature optimized structural design, high-friction foundation compatibility, and durable anti-corrosion coating systems suitable for C4–C5 high-corrosion environments, ensuring stable performance in soft foundations, high humidity, and coastal or tropical rainforest climates.

Q: Do you provide on-site installation guidance and after-sales service?

A: We offer complete overseas support, including detailed installation manuals, video tutorials, and on-site technical guidance by experienced engineers. We also provide long-term after-sales service, spare parts supply, and maintenance training to ensure reliable long-term operation.