One of the big questions is when will the Hong Kong-Macao Bridge open? The 50km bridge, which includes 6.7km of undersea tunnels, was expected to open in 2016, however the MGTO is hopeful for a December 2017 completion. Newspaper reports say 2020 is more optimistic. Much of the structure can be seen during the ferry ride from Hong Kong to Macao, while construction work is visible from hotels on the waterfront.
Officially called the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge (HZMB) as it will also link with the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, the bridge will run from an artificial island off the east coast of Macao across the Peal River Estuary to another artificial island off Hong Kong’s International Airport. Construction began in December 2009 and the cost (shared between the three cities) has ballooned to currently around $US10.6 billion. The bridge will cut the road journey from 4.5 hours to 40 minutes.
The other big transport project, Macao’s Light Transit Rapid Rail (LRT) is expected to be operating by 2019-20. Stage one of the system, which will use driverless rubber-tyred vehicles, will run between Macao Peninsula and Taipa on the lower deck of the current Sai Van Bridge.
