Which bridge is the longest sea bridge in the world?« Back to Questions List

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HKZMB or HZMB), connecting Hong Kong and Macau, has become the longest sea bridge in the world. The length of the bridge is 34 miles and took around nine years for construction. The bridge cuts down the travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to 30 minutes. The total project cost is approximately 57.3 billion yuan. 

The HZMB will be operational from October 24, 2018. However, regular motorists will not be able to drive through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macaubridge freely, as a special permit is required for the same. However, they can park their vehicle and switch to a shuttle bus or hired car to cross the bridge. The toll charges will be between 60 and 300 yuan ($ 8 to $43). 

The bridge crosses the waters of Pearl River Estuary and passes through a region known as China's Greater Bay Area, which is one of the richest regions in China.  The bridge, which is major land mark, will become a symbol of the area. The bridge will aid to connect two special administrative regions with China. The project is completed as a joint effort between Hong Kong, Macau, and China’s Guangdong province.

The massive Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge structure is a bridge-tunnel system. It is the first major combined bridge and tunnel sea-crossing project in China.  The structure consists of three cable-stayed bridges with spans and two artificial islands.  Each span ranges between 280 meters and 460 meters. The tunnel is around 4 mile long. 

The original idea of the bridge was muted in 1980s, by the founder and then managing director, Gordon Wu of Hopewell Holdings. After various rounds of discussions, Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Advance Work Coordination Group was established in 2003. In March 2009 China's Central Government, Hong Kong and Macau agreed to bear 22% of the total costs. Total project cost of Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge  is approximately 57.3 billion yuan ( USD 8.4 billion). The remaining portion of project cost is raised as loan from a consortium of banks led by the Bank of China. The construction of bridge commenced on 15 December 2009 and completed on 14 November, 2017. The connected areas are expected to show a spurt in economic growth and tourism industry. 
 

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