Zhuhai Avenue between the Zhuhai and Niwanmen bridges is being expanded to 14 lanes to handle ever-increasing traffic, the Highway Affairs Center and Zhuhai Communication Group announced Dec 21.

The 4.5-km (2.8-mile) section connects the Zhuhai Bridge Tunnel, which is under construction in the east, over the Niwanmen Bridge to the Jinwan Interchange in the west. Construction is to be completed in 900 days, prior to opening of the tunnel. Pipeline removal and soft foundation treatment is underway.

A 1.28-km (.8-mile) major line of the section will run beneath the Hezhou-Gaolan Port Expressway via a Hezhou tunnel. It will be a dual eight-lane structure with designed speed of 100 kmph (65 mph), and 80 kmph (50 mph) for the 675-m (738-yd) tunnel section.

Rendering of Zhuhai Avenue expansion shows Niwanmen Bridge at lower left [Photo courtesy Guanhai App]

Construction of the dual eight-lane Hezhou Tunnel will begin in April, by which time there will be a provisional passage at the intersection of Zhuhai Avenue and the Jiangmen-Zhuhai Expressway. The tunnel will permit fast traffic on Zhuhai Avenue's main line and connection between the auxiliary road and ramps of the Hezhou-Gaolan Port Expressway. 

In addition, 4.55-km (2.83-mile) of auxiliary roads will be added on the sides of the Zhuhai Avenue section. Planned are dual six lanes and speed of 50 kmph (31 mph). Paralleling them will be non-motor-vehicle lanes and sidewalks.

As part of the project, a temporary steel bridge is being built for construction of two auxiliary road bridges alongside the Niwanmen Bridge. The added 600-m (1,969-ft) steel-truss arch bridges will have dual six lanes and slow-traffic passageways.

According to the builder, work on the auxiliary bridges may have a slight impact on traffic, but not for long.