The disputes for the landing end on the west bank of Hong Kong- Zhuhai-Macao Cross-Sea Bridge are finally settled. Gongbei wins the bidding. The co-ordination committee from Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao had a detailed discussion on the opinions for the landing end proposed by experts on Apr. 2, and will present the project to the National Development and Reform Commission for final decision. As the project is settled, it will fasten the progress of the construction and put the study for issues such as financing to agenda. At present, the three parties from Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao prefer a BOT (build-operate-transfer) method for financing and construction of the bridge. The government will offer a favored reward to the extra investment in building a tunnel by extending the date of transfer. The project is expected to start around June next year.
As the bridge is completed, Zhuhai will become a traffic hub instead of an geographic edge as before, connecting HK with cities in the west of the PRD, or even Guangxi , Yunnan , Guizhou , Sichuan Provinces in southwestern China . According to the project feasibility report, the whole construction will take 6 years and is estimated to be completed and open for traffic in 2010 or 2011. It will take less than 30 minutes for residents in Hong Kong, Zhuhai or Macao to travel through the bridge and save much time and cost for cargo transport, therefore upgrade the overall economic competitiveness of the Pan-Pearl River Delta.
