Chinese President Xi Jinping headed south to Guangdong’s coastal city of Zhuhai and set foot on the 55-kilometer Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge on Tuesday morning. But first he presided over an inauguration ceremony held inside the mainland port area, a much-hyped event also attended by two deputy premiers as well as top officials from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.
It took 50,000 workers and engineers, 120 billion yuan (US$17.3 billion) and almost a decade to construct the colossal bridge-island-tunnel complex. It becomes the first span stretching across the Pearl River Estuary to connect Hong Kong to Macau and the mainland city of Zhuhai.
The world’s longest sea-crossing will officially open to traffic at both ends at 9 am on Wednesday.
It is reported that Xi’s motorcade hopped onto the bridge immediately after the ceremony and purred across the boundary between mainland and Hong Kong waters.
He also toured the two, 100,000-square-meter artificial islands created in the middle of the tidal mouth, where the highway disappears underwater into a 6.7-km tunnel. This avoids the link interfering with the region’s vital maritime traffic as well as taking it clear of the busy airspace frequented by passenger and cargo planes.
The huge bridge is Xi’s pet project, seen as vital in closing the geographical gap and plugging the two former European colonies of Hong Kong and Macau into his grandiose vision for the Pearl River Delta. This master plan seeks to mold a region of sprawling cities and a manufacturing powerhouse into what he calls a “Greatwe Bay Area” to rival New York, Tokyo and San Francisco.
Vehicles travel on the right on the bridge, the opposite side from traffic in Hong Kong.
A one-way bus ride to Macau may cost HK$65 (US$8.3) per person, and private car drivers with cross-border permits to use the bridge will need to pay a toll of 150 yuan (US$21.6) for each trip, according to a tentative pricing regime gazetted by Hong Kong and Guangdong authorities.
Details regarding public transportation via the bridge and permits for private car owners and driving directions can be found here.
Media ballyhoo and the big opening bash notwithstanding, a slew of new crossings, tunnels and high speed rail links proposed or being built to straddle the Pearl River has already overshadowed the prospects of recouping the hefty investment.
Projected daily traffic flow via the six-lane bridge over the next decade has already been slashed to fewer than 30,000 vehicles between Hong Kong and Zhuhai, a third of the route’s capacity, yet operation and maintenance expenditures are feared to soar to more than two billion yuan a year.
The eight-lane Shenzhen-Zhongshan link, some 20 kilometers upstream, is set to divert much of the traffic flow when the new project is up and running in 2024.
The Hong Kong government has been forced to look at ways to boost the bridge’s usage and study the feasibility of building large car parks within its port area to woo tourists from the affluent Guangdong province. Planners hope these big spenders might visit in their private cars, which they will park near the border and use public transportation to get to downtown attractions.
Read more:
Opening of mega bridge held back by delays at HK end
China’s road to nowhere on a bridge over troubled waters
HK-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge engineer says many hurdles crossed
It is a miracle in the sense that China would spend RMB120 to build a huge bridge-tunnel complex few people actually need it or would ever use it. How about spend money on such low-profile projects like reducing air-water-soil pollution that are killing people? Or building schools for millions of kids in poor areas? Medical services to poor families?
It is a miracle in the sense that China would spend RMB120 to build a huge bridge-tunnel complex few people actually need it or would ever use it. How about spend money on such low-profile projects like reducing air-water-soil pollution that are killing people? Or building schools for millions of kids in poor areas? Medical services to poor families?
Steve Goodlay Typical boomer American response. Firstly, you get what you pay for in China. I have plenty of high-quality Chinese goods that show excellent quality. If you don’t, perhaps think about leaving the Wal-Mart.
Secondly, it’s easy to make jokes when you can’t even accomplish a fourth of what China can anymore. Just look at Vogtle nuclear station.
Steve Goodlay Typical boomer American response. Firstly, you get what you pay for in China. I have plenty of high-quality Chinese goods that show excellent quality. If you don’t, perhaps think about leaving the Wal-Mart.
Secondly, it’s easy to make jokes when you can’t even accomplish a fourth of what China can anymore. Just look at Vogtle nuclear station.
lmao they also do not lob tickets like cowards or whine when retaliated against
lmao they also do not lob tickets like cowards or whine when retaliated against
till they fall apart in 5 years
till they fall apart in 5 years
A milestone for transportation system in China
A milestone for transportation system in China
Brilliant, only a Super Power can achieve such success in the present financial climate. Congratulations for a wonder full job.
Brilliant, only a Super Power can achieve such success in the present financial climate. Congratulations for a wonder full job.
Wow!! China, we doff our hats!! Indeed a marvel and a marvellous job done!!
Wow!! China, we doff our hats!! Indeed a marvel and a marvellous job done!!
Unbelievable achievement. China’s ability to undertake large-scale infrastructure projects are unrivaled in the world, and this just showcases viability of BRI projects. The Three Gorges dam, the high speed rail system, and this bridge are just three of the many examples to showcase Chinese civil engineering capability.
The US loves to criticize, but projects like this aren’t even possible in the US anymore, nor are any of the above examples I mentioned. The US rail system between Seattle and Portland suffered an accident and 7 casualities the very first day of operation. If that happened in China, Western media would be harping on it for months.
Unbelievable achievement. China’s ability to undertake large-scale infrastructure projects are unrivaled in the world, and this just showcases viability of BRI projects. The Three Gorges dam, the high speed rail system, and this bridge are just three of the many examples to showcase Chinese civil engineering capability.
The US loves to criticize, but projects like this aren’t even possible in the US anymore, nor are any of the above examples I mentioned. The US rail system between Seattle and Portland suffered an accident and 7 casualities the very first day of operation. If that happened in China, Western media would be harping on it for months.
What right does Iran have to kill it’s own people and finance terror all over the world?
What right does Iran have to kill it’s own people and finance terror all over the world?
Amazing
Amazing