TSING MA BRIDGE

Description

Essentials about Tsing Ma Bridge in brief

Anyone driving from Hong Kong’s international airport Chek Lap Kok to the city center inevitably crosses the impressive Tsing Ma Bridge. With a main span of 1,377 meters, it was the bridge with the second longest span in the world when it was completed (today, that doesn’t even put it in the top 10). But it still holds the title of the bridge with the longest span in the world, serving both road and rail traffic.

Details about Tsing Ma Bridge

The Tsing Ma Bridge connects the islands of Ma Wan and Tsing Yi, which pass through the Ma Wan Canal, and serves the Highway 8 as well as the Tung Chung Line and Airport Express subways to link Hong Kong with Lantau Island and Hong Kong International Airport. The 41-meter-wide bridge has two decks, a road deck and a rail deck. The upper deck has six lanes for passenger cars, while the lower deck has two tracks for trains and two additional lanes for passenger cars. The two car lanes on the lower deck can be used even in the event of a typhoon when the upper deck is closed.

The history of Tsing Ma Bridge

Tsing Ma Bridge was built between 1992 and 1997 to provide a better link between Lantau Island, Hong Kong’s largest island, which until then could only be reached by boat, and the rest of the city. The bridge was also needed as a feeder road to Hong Kong’s new major international airport, which was being built to the north of Lantau Island.

The view from Tsing Ma Bridge

If you want a great view of the bridge, you should visit the Lantau Link Viewing Platform in the northwest of Tsing Yi Island. The other two nearby bridges, Ting Kau and Kap Shui Mun, can also be seen from the platform. Bridge enthusiasts can also visit the Lantau Link Visitors Centre (located right next to the viewing platform) for all the details of the Tsing Ma Bridge.