China Opens The Longest Bridge in The World

China has finally opened for use the world’s longest bridge, nine years after its construction begun wowing the world with breathtaking scenes.

The bridge was officially opened by the Chinese President Xi Jinping and including its access roads, it spans 55 kilometers and it connects Hon Kong to Macau and the Chinese City of Zhuhai.

The construction of the bridge did not come on a silver platter. The cost was a whopping 20 billion US Dollars. It was also risky for according to officials, at least 18 workers have lost their lives since the construction begun.

According to officials, limited bus services begin on Wednesday before rolling out to all other commuters. Not everybody will be allowed to use the bridge though, those wanting to use it will be required to have special permits from the authorities.

What is breathtaking about the bridge?

The bridge has been designed to withstand any form of earthquakes and typhoons. It has been constructed using 400,000 tonnes of steel, enough to construct 100 KICCs.

30 kilometers of the bridge crosses the sea of the Pearl River Delta, the longest bridge above the sea. Another amazing feature is that 6.7 kilometers of the bridge are under the sea through a tunnel. This is to allow ships through.

Not anyone can cross the bridge according to authorities. Those who want to cross the bridge must obtain special permits, allocated by a quota system and all vehicles will have to pay a toll.

Also, the bridge is not served by public transport, so private shuttle buses will ply the route. There will also be no rail link, giving a more upper hand to the private transport sector in the country. Authorities initially estimated that 9,200 vehicles would cross the bridge every day. They later lowered their estimations after new transport networks were built in the region.