Hangzhou Bay Bridge
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| Hangzhou Bay Bridge | |
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| Carries | 6 lanes of expressway |
| Crosses | Hangzhou Bay |
| Locale | Jiaxing / Cixi City |
| Longest span | 448 m (1,470 ft) |
| Total length | 35.673 km (22 mi) |
| Beginning date of construction | June 8, 2003 |
| Completion date | June 26, 2007 |
| Opening date | May 1, 2008 |
| Toll | yes |
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| Coordinates | 30°27′N 121°08′E / 30.45°N 121.133°ECoordinates: 30°27′N 121°08′E / 30.45°N 121.133°E |
Hangzhou Bay Bridge (simplified Chinese: 杭州湾大桥; traditional Chinese: 杭州灣大橋; pinyin: Hángzhōu Wān Dàqiáo), is a bridge with cable-stayed bridge portion across Hangzhou Bay off the eastern coast of China. It was linked up on June 14, 2007,[1] and connects the municipalities of Shanghai and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. The bridge is the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world, although it does not have the longest cable-stayed main span. The opening ceremony was held on June 26, 2007 with great domestic media publicity, though after the opening ceremony, the bridge would only be used for test and evaluation purposes. It was opened to the public on May 1, 2008.[2]
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[edit] Description
Construction of this bridge started on June 8, 2003. The bridge itself is 35.673 kilometres (22 mi) long with six expressway lanes in two directions. The bridge has two main spans, with a 448-metre (1,470 ft) northern span, and a 318-metre (1,043 ft) southern span.[3] The designated speed is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph), and the designed longevity is more than 100 years. The total investment on the bridge was RMB 11.8 billion (US$ 1.4 billion as of December 2004). 35% of this amount was raised from private companies in Ningbo, 59% was provided as loans from China's central and regional banks. Orthotropic steel deck is used on its main spans and five ramp bridges, and was paved with 50 millimetres (2.0 in) epoxy asphalt concrete. The bridge is shaped in an 'S', presumably so that the annual Silver Dragon (a particularly strong tidal wave[4]) is minimally affected. The length of the bridge is decorated with flashing lights of different colors to distract from drowsiness, and keep attention on the road instead. This is also the real reason for 'S' shape.[citation needed]
[edit] History
The bridge underwent various feasibility studies for a decade before it was finally approved in 2003. The original plan was for the northern end of the bridge to start at Jinshan, a suburb of Shanghai. After objections were raised by the Shanghai Municipal Government, however, it was shifted south to the territory of Zhejiang province. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge connects Cixi City, west of Ningbo, to Jiaxing. Whereas previously the trip from Ningbo to Shanghai and southern Jiangsu involved a detour of around 400 km (249 mi), the bridge reduces that distance to 80 km (50 mi), a reduction of 320 km (199 mi). The result is that Ningbo, with its port at Beilun, will be able to compete with Shanghai's port Pudong for international sea freight.
[edit] Service centre
There will be a service centre on this expressway. Mid-way through the bridge, a service island will be built for cars to turn off the road for rest, food, hotel, a top of the line conference room, a lookout tower shaped like a ball and a wide range of services. The island is actually a platform resting on piers, thus it will not impede the normal sea current in the Bay.
To cross the bridge, you pay RMB 180.00 about 24.00 US Dolars.
[edit] References
- ^ "World's longest trans-sea bridge linked up successfully". People's Daily Online. http://english.people.com.cn/200706/19/eng20070619_385488.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
- ^ "World's longest sea bridge to open in east China". People's Daily Online. http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90884/6402247.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Hangzhou Bay Bridge, China". Road Traffic Technology. http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/hangzhou/. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
- ^ http://www.tidalbore.info/china/qiantang.html
