Authorities are preparing to ditch the original mainland exit plan for the Zhuhai end of the massive Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, according to a source close to the project.
Sources say the Zhuhai government has decided to choose Nanping, a town near Hengqin Island, as the landing point for the bridge after examining concerns about increased traffic in the Gongbei area, which was initially chosen as the landing point in 2005.
The 2005 decision was made by a panel organised by the National Development and Reform Commission, which also recommended adopting the current northern bridge and tunnel alignment option.
Nanping has a much larger hinterland and greater available area for development. If the new proposal is approved, the project will potentially boost Nanping’s economy.
The source also says the Zhuhai section of the bridge will now include a 14-km link road stretching from the Zhuhai-Macau border checkpoint, located on an artificial island, to connect with the Guangdong expressway in Nanping.

New RMB 6billion link
Much of the link road will be constructed inside a tunnel and run below four major water reservoirs in Zhuhai and the Gongbei border area.
The Zhuhai Municipal Coordinating Office for bridge planning has already sent the new proposal to the provincial government for approval. The estimated cost of the link road is RMB6.01 billion (MOP71.15 billion), of which RMB50.58 million has already been spent on land surveys and design projects.
Although the new landing point has yet to be approved, it has already impacted on Zhuhai’s real estate market.
According to Hou Ji Ming, from Huafa Industrial, the group’s Huafa Century City development in Nanping is already attracting investors who expect to cash-out on apartments once the bridge is built.

Built to last
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is due to be completed in 2016.
The bridge’s main body includes construction of a 29.6-km dual three-lane carriageway in the form of bridge and tunnel structure. The tunnel on the Hong Kong side of the delta will be about 6.7 km long.
Two artificial islands for the tunnel landings west of the Hong Kong boundary and the construction of an artificial island off of Macau were also included in the project.
Each territory is responsible for the construction of the link roads to the main body of the bridge.
Overall, the Y-shaped bridge will have a total length of almost 50 km, of which about 35 km will be built over the sea. The speed limit will be set at 100 km per hour.
The infrastructure will have a life of 120 years and will be designed to withstand the impact of strong winds with speeds of up to 51 meters per second, or equal to a maximum Beaufort scale 16 (184 to 201 km per hour), according to Zhu Yongling, an official in charge of project construction.
The bridge is seen as strategically important for the further economic development of Hong Kong, Macau and the Western Pearl River Delta region and will significantly reduce transportation time and costs.

Timeline

1983
Gordon Wu, chairman of Hopewell Holdings proposes the idea of a bridge connecting Hong Kong to the west side of the Pearl River Delta.

2002
First public signs of support for the project seen by Beijing.

August 2003
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Advance Work Coordination Group is established.

April 2005
An expert panel organised by the National Development and Reform Commission agrees on the bridge’s three landing points at San Shek Wan in Hong Kong, Gongbei in Zhuhai and A Pérola (Areia Preta area) in Macau. The commission also recommends the northern bridge and tunnel alignment option.

February 2008
The three governments agree on the scope of the bridge’s main body and responsibility for construction, operation and maintenance of their own boundary crossing facilities and associated link roads.

August 2008
The three governments agree to share project costs according to a benefit to cost ratio where Hong Kong will bear 50.2 percent of the cost, Guangdong 35.1 percent and Macau 14.7 percent. It is agreed that the total contributions will be RMB15.73 billion, about 42 percent of the project cost of the main bridge. The remaining 58 percent would be financed by loans.

December 2008
The bridge’s feasibility study report is submitted to the central government for approval.

August 2009
The bridge’s budget is revised, almost doubling to RMB73 billion. Hong Kong agrees to pay RMB6.75 billion, the mainland to pay RMB7 billion and Macau to contribute RMB1.98 billion. A Bank of China-led consortium will provide the remaining 78 percent though loans.

December 2009
Construction begins.