Macao inaugurates new sea-crossing bridge to enhance connectivity

Macao inaugurated its fourth cross-sea bridge on Tuesday, coinciding with China's National Day on October 1.Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region(SAR) Ho Iat Seng presided over the opening ceremony. The 3.08-kilometer bridge, designed with a lifespan of 100 years, aims to ease traffic and foster high-quality development in the region.

The newly completed bridge is Macao's first eight-lane bridge, connecting the Macao Peninsula to Taipa. Located east of the Ponte de Amizade, or Bridge of Friendship, it constitues an additional route for travelers using the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to reach Taipa and Cotai.

The bridge, with a 2.86-kilometer cross-sea section, was constructed jointly by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co, and Aoma Construction Engineering Co.

Experts have highlighted that the new bridge, following years of challenging construction, reflects China's advanced technological capabilities in infrastructure projects. 

The bridge is set to greatly improve connectivity between the north and the south part of Macao and enhance overall transport efficiency, Song Ding, a research fellow at the China Development Institute, told the Global Times. 

The bridge links the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge with the southern part of Macao, providing a more direct route for travelers to reach Taipa and Cotai without detouring via the Bridge of Friendship. This connection is expected to further boost the development in Macao's southern districts, said Song.

The Transport Bureau of Macao SAR said that with the new bridge open to vehicles, it would help reduce peak-time traffic on the Bridge of Friendship by about 30 percent.

Forecasts from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge inspection indicate that the Zhuhai port is expected to experience twin peaks in passenger and vehicle traffic during the National Day holidays from October 1 to 7. Over 570,000 passenger trips and 110,000 vehicle trips are anticipated, representing increases of 32.8 percent and 30.9 percent, respectively, compared to last year.