A view of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link in south China's Guangdong Province. /CMG
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, a mega cross-sea passage consisting of one underwater tunnel, two bridges and two artificial islands, had handled 305,000 vehicles as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, 72 hours after its official opening in south China's Guangdong Province, data from Guangdong Transportation Group showed.
Spanning 24 kilometers, the megaproject marks one of the most difficult cross-sea cluster projects with 10 world records. It starts at the Shenzhen airport interchange and connects with Ma'anshan Island in Zhongshan across the Pearl River, cutting Shenzhen-Zhongshan travel time from two hours to approximately 30 minutes.
Vehicles on the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link in south China's Guangdong Province, June 30, 2024. /CFP
Passengers travel by bus on the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link in south China's Guangdong Province, June 30, 2024. /CFP
"The link has already accounted for about 25 percent of the daily traffic passing through the Pearl River, which promotes market integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA)," said Lin Feiming, head of the Guangdong provincial department of transport.
The GBA, encompassing Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong, boasts a combined population of over 80 million. It achieved a total economic output of over 14 trillion yuan (around $1.96 trillion) in 2023.
/CGTN graphics
The link is a key component of the national expressway network G2518, located approximately 30 km north of the Humen Bridge and 31 km south of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
The link, along with other existing structures, has formed a network of cross-sea and cross-river passages in the GBA, boosting connectivity of the city cluster, said Deng Xiaohua, head of Guangdong Provincial Communications Group.
(With input from Xinhua. Graphics by Sa Man, Liu Shaozhen)