CCTV shows world Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge

Crossing Lingdingyang Bay, the latest episode of the documentary series China Constructors, debuted on CCTV on Oct 3. It disclosed the secrets of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, a mega structure crossing the Lingdingyang Bay located in South China.

An episode of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge in the documentary China Constructors. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

The structure is a 24 kilometer super sea-crossing cluster engineered with bridges, islands and an underwater tunnel all interconnected with each other. 

It is mainly made up of a 6.8 km long subsea tunnel, the 1,666 meter Lingdingyang Bridge, the 580 m Zhongshan Bridge, a 13 km non-navigable arched bridge, two man-made islands and three overpasses.

An episode of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge in the documentary China Constructors. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

Designed as a two-way eight-lane expressway, it will greenlight vehicles running at a speed of 100 km per hour.

Its feasibility study report was ratified with investment totaling 42.37 billion yuan ($5.94 billion) by the National Development and Reform Commission in December 2015.

A major transportation net sketch map of the Pearl River Estuary region. The orange line delineates the construction path of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

The keystone project, lying in the core of the Pearl River Estuary region, will connect the two major functional groups in the Pearl River Delta as well as the subareas of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

The eye-catching structure amazed the world with its large scale and high technical requirements. In response to restricted factors such as max headroom, marine environment and landscape demands, the designers contrived a set of sketches of a lengthy deep subsea tunnel, a large suspension bridge and off-land deepwater artificial islands.

The construction of the Zhongshan Bridge made new progress on Sept 29 as it advanced from the underwater pile foundation construction phase to a visual land operation phase.