Huangmao Hai cross-sea channel breaks ground, linking the Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge in the east

The construction of Huangmao Hai cross-sea bridge project officially starts on 6th June at Huang Mao sea between the cities of Jiang Men and Tai Shan in Guangdong province.

The bridge is the third cross-sea channel project in China after the Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge and Shenzhen - Zhongshan tunnel, which circulates the Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau Greater Bay Area.

According to a director at Guangdong Transport Group, nearly RMB 13 billion (£1.45 billion) has been invested in this project. The tunnel is expected to come into operation by the end of 2024. It will be part of the bridge network in the Greater Bay Area, which includes Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macao Bridge, Shenzhen - Zhongshan, Nansha and Humen Bridges.

The route is about 31 kilometres (18.6 miles) long and the bridge will be 720 metres wide. There will be two cable-stayed bridges at a height of 700 metres. The sea channel is to adopt a combination of Steel Box Girder and trio-tower and double-span bridge design. Upon completion, it will be the biggest trio-tower cable-stayed bridge in the world.

The bridge starts from the western Zhu Jiang, or Pearl River, running from Gao Lan Port Economic Zone in Zhu Hai, linking Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macao Bridge in the east and Xintai Expressway in the west and joining coastal highways in the west. The Huangamao Sea channel will be an important extension of Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge that connects western Guangdong.

The construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

“The project, together with coastal expressways in the west will be key pathways that establish an economic belt in Jiangmen as well as in the whole western region of Guangdong,” says the director of Guangdong Transport Group, “extending the Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge while expanding the benefits of economic growth from Greater Bay Area to the west and coastal areas, the bridge will provide travellers with more options.”

He adds that the two economic zones on the two sides of Huangmao Sea are not yet well connected at the moment. Travellers have to make a detour around Yumen Bridge for about 70 kilometres (miles).

“Once the construction is completed by December of 2024, the line distance from Hengqing Free Trade Zone in Zhuhai and Gaolan to Daguang Bay Economic Zone in Jiangmen is 39 kilometres (24 miles), shortened by 45% of the total distance. The cross-sea bridge could also improve the logistics and public transport networks and bring Hong Kong, Macau and Hengqing Free Trade Zone into greater play in driving the growth in the west of Zhujiang.

Feature image: 3D model of Huangmao Sea bridge. Source: Dissing + Weitling, Vimeo.