China Sets World Record with New Undersea Bridge Connecting Two Cities
The main section of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, valued at $6.7 billion, was completed on November 28, 2023. This undersea route spans 24 kilometers and includes a 6.8-kilometer underwater tunnel. The deepest point of the tunnel is located 39 meters below sea level. Engineers are currently constructing an intelligent evacuation system for the route to respond quickly to accidents.
With its smart design, the emergency command center for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan route can initiate rescue operations at the press of a button upon receiving alerts.
Notably, the tunnel is equipped with 83 emergency exits and a large number of sensors, providing maximum protection for passengers. Additionally, there are emergency rescue docks on the artificial islands to the east and west. The eastern dock covers an area of 2,200 square meters and the western dock spans 1,560 square meters, which will be beneficial in the event of severe traffic congestion on the route.
Workers demonstrate the structure of the 6.8-kilometer underwater tunnel. (Photo: Chinadaily).
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan route is expected to open to traffic in June 2024, reducing travel time between the two cities from 2 hours to approximately 30 minutes.
World Record Achieved in Just One Day
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge project includes an underwater tunnel. (Photo: Getty Images).
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, 46 meters wide and featuring 8 lanes, includes artificial islands and an undersea tunnel. The construction company announced a world record: they laid over 22,600 square meters of asphalt, equivalent to more than 50 basketball courts, in just one day.
The Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge project is expected to be operational from June 2024. (Photo: CGTN).
The mega project of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge is part of China’s 13th Five-Year Plan to boost the Greater Bay Area economy. This region is home to approximately 68 million people across 56,400 square kilometers, including 11 cities such as Zhongshan and Shenzhen. Therefore, once this bridge opens in 2024, the Greater Bay Area is set to become an economic and technological hub capable of competing with New York, San Francisco, or Tokyo.
Experts suggest that once operational, the $6.7 billion bridge will undoubtedly create significant economic value by drastically reducing travel time between the two cities and alleviating traffic congestion.
