Bridge Connecting Hong Kong, Macau to Chinese mainland Set to Open This Year

Set to open by the end of 2017, South China is soon to be home to the world’s longest sea-crossing bridge: the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge.

Construction on the bridge, which will span 50 kilometers, began back in December 2009. The connection is set to cut travel time from Zhuhai to Hong Kong from three hours to just half an hour.

The inter-city link’s longest ocean-spanning segment will cover over 29 kilometers and include three cable-stayed sections varying from 280-460 meters. The project also features a tunnel, which runs six kilometers between two artificial islands, to allow passage for maritime vessels.  

The aim of the new roadway is to promote integration in the Pearl River Delta, something that will most impact Macau, according the World Economic Forum, as the city will become more easily accessible for tourists from Hong Kong and the mainland. 

Originally slated to open at the end of 2016, the project has been hit by a number of delays, specifically in the HKD35.9 billion Hong Kong portion, and is pegged to open in December of this year.

[Images via South China Morning Post, ARUP, HeidelbergCement Group, People's Daily Online]