China to build world's longest bridge

[bothar]

China today announced it had begun construction of the world's longest sea bridge – barely 18 months after opening the current record-holder.

The Y-shaped link between Hong Kong, Macau and China will be around 50km (31 miles) long in total, 35km of which will span the sea, said the state news agency Xinhua. Due to be completed by 2015, the 73bn yuan (£6.75bn) cost of the bridge will be shared by the authorities in the three territories.

The structure also includes a 5.5km underwater tunnel with artificial islands to join it to bridges on each side. According to the engineering group Arup – which has helped with the design – it is the first major marine bridge-and-tunnel project in China. But the engineering firm described the structure as 38km in length; the reason for the disparity was unclear.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/de ... sea-bridge

[Chris5156]

Very interesting. As well as the disparity in length, I'm struggling to see why it's described as "Y-shaped". It just looks like a very long bridge to me, whereas that term would suggest three routes heading out to sea and meeting at a three-way junction in the middle of the ocean.

[Mark Hewitt]

three routes heading out to sea and meeting at a three-way junction in the middle of the ocean.

Impressive indeed!

[sydneynick]

Very interesting. As well as the disparity in length, I'm struggling to see why it's described as "Y-shaped". It just looks like a very long bridge to me, whereas that term would suggest three routes heading out to sea and meeting at a three-way junction in the middle of the ocean.

At the western end, it will split into two branches to serve Macau and the mainland. But it's a very strangely shaped Y.

[True Yorkie]

What were they smoking when they came up with the idea to build that bridge?!

I take it those artificial islands will be similar to one that was shown in the episode of Top Gear where Jezza races the japanese bullet train...

[M1]

Not good. Hong Kong is slowly losing its character as the links with mainland China increase, and this will only serve to hasten that. Shame.

[NSWP]

I was in HK a week ago after a QM2 cruise, Sydney to HK. Went over to Macau by ferry. The bridge is 55km long and almost complete, part of it is open to traffic, the bit from Macau to the mainland and will go from Macau to HK Airport, then onto Kowloon, I was told. I wonder what will happen to the super ferries now used for the 1 hour crossing, they take thousands of visitors and gamblers to and from Macau every day to tour, shop and visit the 45 casinos on Macau.

From my observations an engineering marvel is the new bridge, not sure of the tolls.

[Vierwielen]

Thew Wikipedia article is here while the Google Maps aerial photos are here. Note that part of the crossing (close to Hong Kong) is via tunnel and not bridge.

[GHurst]

China is obviously a leader

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_bridges

[c2R]

Here's a BBC article video: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia ... -milestone

[bothar]

Opening, to the chosen few.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... cau-permit

[WHBM]

Actually not dissimilar to the Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel, 23 miles, built in the 1960s, which for the technology of the time and its pioneering of the bridge-tunnel concept was probably an equal achievement, yet gets little publicity.

[mikehindsonevans]

Did anyone else spot the 2009 report which stated "Due to be completed in 2015".
So; started in 2009, it was targeted for six years of construction.
Actually built in nine years. This means a 50% over-run on construction time.

And people are whining about a one-year delay in HS/2's seven-year build and commissioning timescales, much of shich is taken up with that favourite phrase - "consultation"?

[Euan]

Did anyone else spot the 2009 report which stated "Due to be completed in 2015".
So; started in 2009, it was targeted for six years of construction.
Actually built in nine years. This means a 50% over-run on construction time.

And people are whining about a one-year delay in HS/2's seven-year build and commissioning timescales, much of shich is taken up with that favourite phrase - "consultation"?

Indeed many people seem to quite often be more critical of project timelines themselves rather than waiting to judge the end result. Apart from the consultation phases, transport constructions here usually are completed as per the expected timetable. If not, then the delays are usually no longer than a few months, a year maximum.

It's worth pointing out that this new bridge/tunnel is 55km long and is far longer than anything of its kind built in Europe, so direct comparisons may not be very straightforward. A longer construction timescale inevitably leads to a wider uncertainty in the exact opening date. Unforeseen economic conditions may also hinder work progress as such conditions are virtually impossible to predict far in advance, especially these days. Interestingly, the bridge was apparently fully constructed by February of this year and so did not open for another eight months.

[Sophiaesteve]

this is a great place for road signs stickers and decals : gt-stickers.com while the Google Maps aerial photos are here. Note that part of the crossing (close to Hong Kong) is via tunnel and not bridge.

This bridge is realy impressive i have to say !

http://img3.zhytuku.china.com/images/zh ... 500fce.jpg

[Ruperts Trooper]

Did anyone else spot the 2009 report which stated "Due to be completed in 2015".
So; started in 2009, it was targeted for six years of construction.
Actually built in nine years. This means a 50% over-run on construction time.

And people are whining about a one-year delay in HS/2's seven-year build and commissioning timescales, much of shich is taken up with that favourite phrase - "consultation"?

Indeed many people seem to quite often be more critical of project timelines themselves rather than waiting to judge the end result. Apart from the consultation phases, transport constructions here usually are completed as per the expected timetable. If not, then the delays are usually no longer than a few months, a year maximum.

HS2 construction causes disruption all along the line, if construction over-runs that's simply more disruption to locals - people and areas along the line won't benefit from HS2, only those at each end.

[J N Winkler]

I would love to obtain the complete set of construction drawings for this bridge-tunnel combination. Unfortunately, I think it was done as a design-build. (Ironically enough, Hong Kong is a lot worse than mainland China for drawings availability, largely because the HK Highways Department imported the concept of selective tendering from the UK, while the public resource trading platforms used to select contractors in the mainland work a lot like tendering platforms in the EU, with some of them decoupling access to the documents from formal expression of intent to tender.)

[RJDG14]

China's bridge reminds me a little of the Channel bridge they proposed in the early 1980s, including the underwater section...

While I disagree with Xi's style of leadership, I very much think that this bridge could be extremely influential on bridges in the West.

We could propose for the planned M4 Toll road around Newport to stretch out several miles into the Severn/Avon channel however I'd imagine this would be very expensive so may not be sustainable or environmentally friendly to build. A lot of local residents would also probably oppose it.

As of October 2018 I've now been along the entirity of the M4 at some point (as well as the M5) and my dad pointed out that he noticed the view barriers were now 2-3m high when they were only around 1m in the past (he last travelled over it in 2011). As a result he's said he's much happier to drive along the Second Severn Crossing now. Wierdly I thought they've had this protection at least 5 years now.

[Big L]

Did anyone else spot the 2009 report which stated "Due to be completed in 2015".
So; started in 2009, it was targeted for six years of construction.
Actually built in nine years. This means a 50% over-run on construction time.

And people are whining about a one-year delay in HS/2's seven-year build and commissioning timescales, much of shich is taken up with that favourite phrase - "consultation"?

Indeed many people seem to quite often be more critical of project timelines themselves rather than waiting to judge the end result. Apart from the consultation phases, transport constructions here usually are completed as per the expected timetable. If not, then the delays are usually no longer than a few months, a year maximum.

HS2 construction causes disruption all along the line, if construction over-runs that's simply more disruption to locals - people and areas along the line won't benefit from HS2, only those at each end.

If all of the Birmingham to London passengers are on HS2 don't the people of MK, High Wycombe etc get a better, less crowded service. Because HS2 is about capacity, not speed.