World’s Longest Cross-Sea Bridge Nears Completion

BEIJING, China – Construction on the main portion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge’s The Cross Harbor Tunnel has been completed. It is the world’s longest, deepest-buried tunnel in the seabed, and the most comprehensive, technically difficult immersed tube tunnel. The bridge will have a traffic permit at the end of 2017.

After an official ceremony, reporters, along with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge builder, traveled the tunnel in a battery car. Along the open-air tunnel, the battery car traveled up to 15 km per hour, from west of the artificial island entrance to the east of the island exit, about 20 minutes.

The entire tunnel includes a 4-meter-high and 4-meter-wide intermediate service corridor. At the top of the tunnel, there is a large number of ventilation pipes that continue to operate; the battery car driving in the tunnel can feel the cool breeze. Some of the walls of the tunnel have been laid on a white fire board.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority Engineering Director Zhang Jinwen said that if the weather is good, the bridge deck pavement work is expected to be completed in August, with the tunnel pavement to be be carried out as soon as possible. In addition, traffic engineering is advancing in an orderly manner, with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is equipped with conditions for opening by the end of this year.

Photo source: China News.