China’s Huangmaohai mega link is about boost Greater Bay Area powerhouse

China is about to open the latest addition to a growing network of mega transport links in the Greater Bay Area in the southern economic powerhouse of Guangdong province.

The Huangmaohai Cross-sea Passage – a 31km (19 mile) crossing that connects the city of Zhuhai in the Pearl River Delta to cities west of Huangmao River – is scheduled to go into operation at 3pm on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The link – which crosses both land and water, consists of two cable-stayed bridges, two tunnels and four interchange bridges, is expected to shorten journey time between the two cities by half to 30 minutes.

The 2.2km-long Huangmaohai Bridge and the 1.4km-long Gaolangang Bridge – which span part of the mouth of the Huangmao River – are built to withstand Level 17 winds, which can reach speeds of up to 220km/h (137mph), according to Zhu Chao, the crossing’s project manager.

The region, home to some of the world’s busiest ports and shipping lanes, often sees strong winds.

Construction on the project, which cost nearly 13 billion yuan (US$1.8 billion), began in June 2020.