The proposed extension of the Macao Light Rapid Transit (LRT)’s East Line to the Qingmao Port could involve the complex construction of an underground tunnel that cuts through key areas in the Northern District.
In a recent statement, the Public Works Bureau said it was evaluating the feasibility of the tunnel and its potential route.
The bureau described such an undertaking as having a high level of technical difficulty, noting that the project would pass through important infrastructure such as the Barrier Gate Plaza and the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park.
With respect to the latter, the government said that the boring of a tunnel would not impact the park’s facilities, although it would require the setting up of tunnel evacuation exits within the park.
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In spite of the complexities, the chief supervisor of the Macau Institute of Engineers, Sio Chi Veng, expressed confidence in Macao’s ability to realise the project.
In an interview with local media, Sio stated that shield tunnelling technology could be effectively used in such built up areas “and would not impact the use of the roads by pedestrians and vehicles.”
The government launched a feasibility study into extending the LRT East Line to the Qingmao Port last year.
Measuring roughly 7.7 kilometres, the East Line is scheduled to begin operation in 2029, spanning 6 stations that will be situated between the Border Gate and the two as yet unnamed artificial islands known as Urban Zones A and E.
