Shenzhen Bay Bridge (深圳灣公路大橋) is a 5.5-kilometre-long bridge connecting the Shenzhen Bay Port (SBP) in the Nanshan District of Shekou, Shenzhen and Ngau Hom Shek in Pak Lai, Yuen Long. The Hong Kong section of the bridge connects to the Kong Sham Western Highway, which is part of Route 10, and the entire bridge falls within the Frontier Closed Area (FCA).
As the fourth vehicular boundary crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor and Shenzhen Bay Bridge are synonymous[1] and are commonly referred to as Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor by the media, while the term Shenzhen Bay Bridge is usually used by the Government when introducing the construction of the bridge.
History[]
The construction of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge was carried out by the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen in accordance with the principle of "separate investment, joint construction, separate ownership and separate management of the bridge based on the boundary between Hong Kong and Guangdong", which was jointly confirmed by the Shenzhen and Hong Kong authorities, and was implemented by the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen respectively by adopting a unified construction standard and programme. The construction of the Hong Kong section commenced on 28 August 2003 and was completed in December 2005. The bridge decks of the two sections in Hong Kong and Shenzhen were brought together on 20 January 2006 and the whole bridge was completed on 7 October. To avoid affecting the coastal environment, the Hong Kong side built a temporary steel bridge for transporting construction materials, which were dismantled upon completion of the project.
The Shenzhen Bay Port implemented the co-location of immigration and customs clearance for passengers and cargoes to streamline the clearance procedures and save travellers' time. On 25 April 2007, the Legislative Council passed the Shenzhen Bay Port Hong Kong Port Area Ordinance to provide the legal basis for the implementation of the co-location arrangement. According to the Ordinance, the Hong Kong Government would establish a Hong Kong Port Area within the Shenzhen Bay Port so that the laws of Hong Kong would apply to the Hong Kong Port Area, including the Hong Kong Inspection Area at the Port and the Shenzhen Section of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge.
The Shenzhen Bay Port, with a total investment of about HK$902 million, was commissioned on 1 July 2007. Prior to the commissioning of the bridge, the Community Chest organised the "Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor Walk for a Million"[2][3] on 15 April, for which KMB organised a special route 67R to facilitate participants' access to and departure from the venue.
Structure[]
The 5.5-kilometre-long Shenzhen Bay Bridge is a single-tower cable-stayed steel structure cable-stayed bridge that starts from the Shenzhen Bay Port at the newly reclaimed area of Dongjiaotou, Shekou and crosses Deep Bay to connect with Ngau Hom Shek in the northwestern part of Yuen Long District. Each section has a single tower cable-stayed bridge with 457 piles and 13 pairs of cable-stayed cables arranged asymmetrically, with the two towers slightly tilted towards each other, symbolising the close solidarity between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
The bridge is equipped with three-lane dual carriageway and is designed to travel at a speed of 100 kilometres per hour, taking only 10 to 15 minutes to travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The "S" shaped alignment of the Bridge is designed to minimise the impact of the Bridge on the water flow in Deep Bay, and to enhance drivers' alertness and visual impact as compared with a straight road.
Special traffic arrangements[]
When the average wind speed exceeds 55 kilometres per hour, the Shenzhen Bay Bridge will be partially closed; when the average wind speed exceeds 65 kilometres per hour, the Shenzhen Bay Bridge will be completely closed, and all northbound vehicles (including buses) will have to turn back via the Ha Tsuen Interchange.[4]
Routes observed[]
All the following routes pass through the entire Shenzhen Bay Bridge in both directions.
| Information on bus routes passing through the Shenzhen Bay Bridge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Route | Origin | Destination | Service mode |
| NLB | B2 | Yuen Long Station | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily ● |
| NLB | B2P | Tin Shui Wai (Tin Tsz Estate) | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily ● |
| NLB | B2X | Tin Shui Wai (Tin Yiu Estate) | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service Saturdays and holidays whole-day ● |
| Citybus | B3 | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily ● |
| Citybus | B3A | Shan King Estate | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily ● |
| Citybus | B3M | Shenzhen Bay Port | Tuen Mun Station (Circular) |
Service daily during daytime after Morning Peak Hours ● |
| Citybus | B3X | Tuen Mun Town Centre | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily after Morning Peak Hours ● |
| Information on green minibus (GMB) routes passing through the Shenzhen Bay Bridge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Minibus route | Origin | Destination | Service mode |
| Yield Team | 618 | Tin Yan Estate | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily ● |
| Yield Team | 618A | Tin Yan Estate | Shenzhen Bay Port (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Fridays during peak hours, Saturdays and holidays whole-day, via Tin Ying Road ● |
| Yield Team | 618B | Tin Shui Wai (Wetland Park Road) | Shenzhen Bay Port (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Fridays during peak hours, Saturdays and holidays whole-day ● |
Gallery[]
Related Articles[]
- Route 10 (Strategic Route)
- Kong Sham Western Highway
- Shenzhen Bay Port
Notes and References[]
- ↑ Report of the Bills Committee on Shenzhen Bay Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill (Legislative Council)
- ↑ 香港公益金網站：深港西部通道百萬行 (Community Chest website: Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor Walk for a Million)
- ↑ "5萬人征服深港西部通道" (50k marched on HK-Shenzhen Western Corridor), Apple Daily, 16 April 2007.
- ↑ Driving on Shenzhen Bay Bridge (Transport Department)
Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor
External Links[]
Template:Hong Kong Strategic Routes Template:List of tunnels and bridges