Shanghai's first double-decker bridge is set to be put into operation this week.

Minpu Bridge is the eighth bridge across the Huangpu River and the first to connect the airport to the downtown area. The 3.9km-long crossing has been built for the 2010 World Expo.

Its 44m-wide upper deck carries an eight-lane highway, with a maximum speed limit of 120km/h. The lower deck is a 28m-wide, six-lane local road with a speed limit of 60km/h. The cable-stayed structure has two H-shaped towers, 210m high.

Building a two-deck bridge saved on land and cost, said deputy chief engineer with the Shanghai Engineering Design General Institute, Ma Biao. The limited space available led to the consideration of putting the highway and road together.