The bridge seen during construction in November 2017. [Photo by Roy Liu/China Daily]

6. When did construction start? What was the cost?

The plan to build a link road across the Pearl River Estuary was first initiated by Hong Kong industrialist Gordon Wu Ying-sheung in 1983. After several twists and turns, the Feasibility Study started in March 2004 under State Council's approval. The study report was approved in October 2009, followed by a commencement ceremony on Dec 15 in the same year, chaired by then-vice-premier Li Keqiang in Zhuhai.

So far, the total cost of HZMB is about 120 billion yuan ($17.4 billion), of which the 29.6-km Main Bridge invested by three governments is about 48.1 billion yuan. The rest are investments by individual governments on their ports and link roads to the Main Bridge.

The cost allocation among the three governments shown as above is settled by the assessment of economic benefits they can get after the bridge opens.