Since ancient times bridges are the passage to connect everywhere, but also a testimony to the creation of human history.
Now there are many top bridges in the world. No matter the design or use, they all have different significance. Today we take a look at the world's famous bridges across the sea.
1. Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is a mega cross-sea bridge connecting Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau, with a total length of 49.968 kilometers. The sea section of the bridge is 42 kilometers long, making it one of the top ten longest cross-sea bridges in the world.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is part of the G94 Pearl River Delta Ring Road Expressway and is built to a six-lane expressway standard, with a design speed of 100 km/hour. The cost of the entire bridge is over 72 billion RMB, and its construction officially started on December 15, 2009. Once completed, it will be the longest cross-sea bridge in the world.
According to Hong Kong standards, the design life of the HZMB is 120 years, which means it will be able to fully meet the use function within 120 years and withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake and a magnitude 16 typhoon.
2.Qingdao Bay Bridge
Qingdao Bay Bridge is located in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China, with a total length of 41.58 kilometers, ranking second among the top ten longest cross-sea bridges in the world. The Qingdao Bay Bridge started construction on December 26, 2006, with a total investment of nearly 10 billion yuan, and was opened to traffic on June 30, 2011.
The construction of Qingdao Bay Bridge conveniently links Qingdao, Hong and Huangdao together, shortening the land distance from Qingdao to Huangdao by nearly 30 kilometers.
On June 4, 2013, the bridge received the George Richardson Award at the 30th International Bridge Conference in Pittsburgh, the "Bridge City" of the United States. In September 2011, it was named "World's Best Bridge" by Forbes.
3. Hangzhou Bay Bridge
The Hangzhou Bay Bridge, with a length of 36 kilometers, was the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world when it was completed in 2008, with a cost of RMB 1.7 billion. The location of the bridge is one of the three strongest tidal bays in the world, making its construction a great challenge.
Despite the difficulties, the use of several advanced technologies enabled the bridge to open to traffic on May 1, 2008. A platform in the sea was also designed at the same time, which can facilitate the future development of the bridge into a scenic spot for tourism and leisure sightseeing.
4. Chesapeake Bay Bridge, USA
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, located in Maryland, USA, has a length of 37 kilometers and was first proposed by the state legislature in 1938. The 5-lane Chesapeake Bay Bridge connects the east and west coasts and is an important component of U.S. Highways 50 and 301.
The bridge was expanded in 1973 due to the subsequent increase in traffic. Many travelers go sightseeing and causing heavy traffic, making it a traffic jam area. While there is some controversy regarding the bridge's data, each of these cross-sea bridges has its advantages because of its geographical location, construction technology, and other factors.
These world-class sea-crossing bridges have contributed to improving transportation infrastructure and have become landmarks of human achievement. They serve as an inspiration to engineers and architects worldwide. Let's pay tribute to the people who built these world-class sea-crossing bridges!
