Vehicles will be able to cross the Macau Bridge from 2 pm on National Day, which is next Tuesday. The Transport Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials DSAT) made the announcement at a press conference this afternoon, local media outlets reported.
The department noted that the new cross-sea bridge (the fourth of its kind linking the Macao Peninsula to Taipa) had multiple entrances and exits connecting Urban Zone A, the Macao Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZMB) and Taipa’s Pac On area.
The Macau Bridge will lighten the load of the Amizade Bridge, accommodating a lot of the traffic moving between the Macao Port of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) and Taipa and Coloane. The new bridge is expected to cut the travel time between these areas by three to six minutes, with the new route being three kilometres shorter than the Amizade Bridge.
[See more: The Macau Bridge could stay open during typhoons]
DSAT said it would collaborate with the city’s two public bus companies and the casino operators to divert traffic towards the new bridge after its opening. That would include about 30 percent of the Amizade Bridge’s traffic flow during peak periods.
The 103X bus route will also cross the new bridge, shuttling passengers between the HZMB and the Taipa Ferry Terminal. The 103X should be convenient for people wanting to connect to the Light Rapid Transit network from the HZMB.
Residents have an opportunity to walk across Macau Bridge this Sunday as part of a fun walk involving 21,000 participants. This will be residents’ only chance to traverse the bridge by foot, as there’ll be no pedestrian access once cars are using it.
The 3.1 kilometre bridge features 8 lanes including two designated for motorcycles. Special wind protection barriers have been installed, which could see vehicles able to safely cross the link during typhoons.
DSAT noted that the bridge was designed to last for a century.
