Introduction:
Tsing Ma Bridge is a bridge in Hong Kong.[1] It is the world's ninth-longest span suspension bridge, and was the second longest at time of completion.[2] The bridge was named after two of the islands at its ends, namely Tsing Yi and Ma Wan. It has two decks and carries both road and rail traffic, which also makes it the largest suspension bridge of this type. The bridge has a main span of 1,377 metres (4,518 ft) and a height of 206 metres (676 ft). The span is the largest of all bridges in the world carrying rail traffic. The 41-metre (135 ft) wide bridge deck carries six lanes of automobile traffic, with three lanes in each direction. The lower level contains two rail tracks and two sheltered carriageways, used for maintenance access and traffic lanes when particularly severe typhoons strike Hong Kong and the bridge deck is closed to traffic.[3] Numerous consortia bid on the contract to construct the bridge. Hyundai made the lowest bid but were disqualified for non-compliance with the financial requirements.[4] A Japanese bid was ruled out for being too expensive. An Anglo-Japanese joint venture, comprising Costain, Mitsui, and Trafalgar House, won the job.[5] Construction work on the bridge began in June 1992.[4] Gammon Construction constructed the caissons for the bridge towers. The framework for each caisson was floated into place and sunk, and then filled with concrete underwater.[6] The two caissons on the Ma Wan side weigh 4,500 tons each, while those on the Tsing Yi side (closer to shore) each weigh about 3,000 tons.[6] Land reclamation was carried out on both sides of the bridge. The more substantial reclamation on Ma Wan was used as a work platform for construction crews.[6] The first steel deck segment was lifted into place in late 1994.[7] The approach deck segments were constructed in Britain and Dubai and then shipped to Hong Kong for assembling. The main span segments were built by Cleveland in the U.K. and by Mitsui in Japan.[7] The climbing cranes used to erect the tower portals were coincidentally also used on the HSBC Main Building a decade earlier, as well as at Canary Wharf in the meantime.[8] Construction was finished in May 1997. It cost HK$7.2 billion. The Lantau Link, of which the bridge is an integral part, was inaugurated on 27 April 1997 by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Security was extremely tight as Thatcher was considered one of the top targets of the Irish Republican Army.[9] The commemoration ceremony began with a flotilla of police and other government vessels passing beneath the bridge, before Government Flying Service and Royal Air Force aircraft flew above the concrete towers.[10] Lady Thatcher, Chief Secretary Anson Chan, and Governor Chris Patten then switched on the bridge lights and drove across the span with other dignitaries. The celebration concluded with a 20 minute firework and laser show, featuring fire pouring from the length of the bridge, engineered by the Pyromagic Productions company.[10] Chief Executive-designate Tung Chee-hwa declined to attend as he said he would rather meet with officials in Guangdong.[10][11] The opening ceremony was highly anticipated and attracted more than 100,000 spectators, most of them standing along Castle Peak Road, which was closed to road traffic.[12] The Tuen Mun Road was also closed to traffic from 7:40 to 8:20 pm.[13] MTR, Citybus, and KCR Corporation arranged special transport services for the event.[14] More than 2,300 police officers were deployed, and the crowd control exercise was studied by the police for its relevance to the upcoming Handover ceremony.[12] Three boating accidents occurred during the bridge inauguration.[12] The Lantau Link was opened to traffic on 22 May 1997 at 8:00 am. Cars queued for four hours before police opened the bridge.[15] Snaking queues also formed at bus stations at 7:00 am as passengers sought to view the new infrastructure as well as the North Lantau New Town, which was still under construction.[15]
No.2 subway
Tsing Ma Bridge is a bridge in Hong Kong.[1] It is the world's ninth-longest span suspension bridge, and was the second longest at time of completion.[2] The bridge was named after two of the islands at its ends, namely Tsing Yi and Ma Wan. It has two decks and carries both road and rail traffic, which also makes it the largest suspension bridge of this type. The bridge has a main span of 1,377 metres (4,518 ft) and a height of 206 metres (676 ft). The span is the largest of all bridges in the world carrying rail traffic. The 41-metre (135 ft) wide bridge deck carries six lanes of automobile traffic, with three lanes in each direction. The lower level contains two rail tracks and two sheltered carriageways, used for maintenance access and traffic lanes when particularly severe typhoons strike Hong Kong and the bridge deck is closed to traffic.[3] Numerous consortia bid on the contract to construct the bridge. Hyundai made the lowest bid but were disqualified for non-compliance with the financial requirements.[4] A Japanese bid was ruled out for being too expensive. An Anglo-Japanese joint venture, comprising Costain, Mitsui, and Trafalgar House, won the job.[5] Construction work on the bridge began in June 1992.[4] Gammon Construction constructed the caissons for the bridge towers. The framework for each caisson was floated into place and sunk, and then filled with concrete underwater.[6] The two caissons on the Ma Wan side weigh 4,500 tons each, while those on the Tsing Yi side (closer to shore) each weigh about 3,000 tons.[6] Land reclamation was carried out on both sides of the bridge. The more substantial reclamation on Ma Wan was used as a work platform for construction crews.[6] The first steel deck segment was lifted into place in late 1994.[7] The approach deck segments were constructed in Britain and Dubai and then shipped to Hong Kong for assembling. The main span segments were built by Cleveland in the U.K. and by Mitsui in Japan.[7] The climbing cranes used to erect the tower portals were coincidentally also used on the HSBC Main Building a decade earlier, as well as at Canary Wharf in the meantime.[8] Construction was finished in May 1997. It cost HK$7.2 billion. The Lantau Link, of which the bridge is an integral part, was inaugurated on 27 April 1997 by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Security was extremely tight as Thatcher was considered one of the top targets of the Irish Republican Army.[9] The commemoration ceremony began with a flotilla of police and other government vessels passing beneath the bridge, before Government Flying Service and Royal Air Force aircraft flew above the concrete towers.[10] Lady Thatcher, Chief Secretary Anson Chan, and Governor Chris Patten then switched on the bridge lights and drove across the span with other dignitaries. The celebration concluded with a 20 minute firework and laser show, featuring fire pouring from the length of the bridge, engineered by the Pyromagic Productions company.[10] Chief Executive-designate Tung Chee-hwa declined to attend as he said he would rather meet with officials in Guangdong.[10][11] The opening ceremony was highly anticipated and attracted more than 100,000 spectators, most of them standing along Castle Peak Road, which was closed to road traffic.[12] The Tuen Mun Road was also closed to traffic from 7:40 to 8:20 pm.[13] MTR, Citybus, and KCR Corporation arranged special transport services for the event.[14] More than 2,300 police officers were deployed, and the crowd control exercise was studied by the police for its relevance to the upcoming Handover ceremony.[12] Three boating accidents occurred during the bridge inauguration.[12] The Lantau Link was opened to traffic on 22 May 1997 at 8:00 am. Cars queued for four hours before police opened the bridge.[15] Snaking queues also formed at bus stations at 7:00 am as passengers sought to view the new infrastructure as well as the North Lantau New Town, which was still under construction.[15]
No.2 subway
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