The Macau Bridge fun walk was held yesterday, giving 21,000 residents an opportunity to stroll across the structure before it opens to vehicular traffic as part of National Day celebrations on Tuesday. The 6 kilometre walk began at the Pac On area of Taipa at 8 am, with participants making their way to Urban Zone A before heading back to the starting point.
Earlier, the local weather forecaster issued a yellow hot weather warning, indicating that the mercury was expected to reach 33°C or higher. In spite of the scorching temperatures, local media reported that the atmosphere at the event was lively.
One resident who spoke to TDM said he was impressed by the organisation of the event, noting that he “wasn’t expecting all the pit stops with the water and the free fans.” Many children also participated, with one telling the local broadcaster that “it was fun.”
[See more: The Macau Bridge will open to traffic on National Day]
Outgoing Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng and other senior officials attended the opening ceremony of the walk.
Spanning 3.1 kilometres, the Macau Bridge is the fourth bridge in the city to link the peninsula to Taipa. The structure features 8 lanes, two of which are reserved for motorcycles. Unlike the city’s other bridges, the Macau Bridge features wind protection barriers that should allow for the passage of traffic during typhoons, although the authorities are still gathering further data before they greenlight the bridge’s operation during severe weather events.
The opening of the bridge is expected to help reduce the traffic load on the SAR’s other cross-sea links, with the Transport Bureau announcing at a press conference on Friday that the Macau Bridge would divert around 30 percent of the traffic from the Amizade Bridge during rush hour.
