The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and associated tunnels cross the Lingdingyang waterway. [Photo/Xinhua]

When Su Quanke looks out over the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, he does not see only steel pillars, asphalt and cables, but a long dragon－a symbol of China's engineering prowess.

As the project's chief engineer, Su is familiar with every inch of the vast crossing, which opens next year after the construction of 22.9 kilometers of bridge, four tunnels and four artificial islands.

The 55-km structure is the longest of its kind in the world and is being built with 420,000 metric tons of steel, enough to build 60 Eiffel Towers, he said.

"Yet to me, it is like a huge dragon that is about to take off," Su said. "I particularly like the high bridge towers, which are like Chinese knots, because they combine both high technology and traditional Chinese style."

The HZM Bridge is a marvel of modern engineering, one that is designed to last for 120 years－longer than any other bridge on the Chinese mainland, he added.

It also may be the most difficult bridge to build. "Construction of the gigantic project has overcome a series of world-class technical problems, including the rapid building of artificial islands and connections using underwater tunnels," Su said.