The fourth Macao-Taipa bridge reached a major milestone in its construction last night, with the joining of its two halves, according to the Public Works Bureau (also known by its Portuguese initials DSOP).
According to the bureau, the linkage signals the completion of the bridge’s main structure, meaning that workers can now shift their attention to auxiliary engineering work, such as paving, installing wind protection barriers and electrical systems, as well as taking measures to protect the structure against corrosion and water damage.
The DSOP noted that construction of the new bridge had been fraught with challenges since it officially began in March 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic, severe weather, the complex geology of the site, and air navigation restrictions all creating obstacles.
[See more: The fourth Macao-Taipa bridge is now set to be completed in the third quarter]
Spanning just over three kilometres, the eight-lane bridge runs between the two land reclamation areas of Zone A, on the peninsula, and E1, on Taipa. Both are both currently uninhabited but are expected to become major residential districts in the future. Two of the lanes will be reserved for motorcycle use.
“After the fourth Macao-Taipa bridge opens, it will alleviate the traffic pressure on the current three bridges [in the city],” the DSOP said. “It will improve the traffic capacity between Macao, Taipa and Coloane, as well as meet the traffic needs that arise from the development of Zone A.”
Currently, the bridge is unnamed, although the government held a competition earlier this year, with five names already shortlisted. An opening date for the bridge has yet to be confirmed, but officials say that construction should complete by the third quarter of this year.
