In September 2002, it was agreed at the Third Meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Conference on the Co-ordination of Major Infrastructure Projects that a joint study should be conducted on the transport linkage between Hong Kong and Pearl River West.
In January 2003, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) commissioned the Institute of Comprehensive Transportation to conduct the study.
The study, entitled “Transport Linkage between Hong Kong and Pearl River West” was completed in July 2003. The report points out that the transport linkage between Hong Kong and Pearl River West is weak, and land transport between them involves a detour via Humen Bridge , resulting in an increase in transport time and cost. It concludes that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will be instrumental in shortening the travelling time and distance between Hong Kong and Pearl River West, and will yield the following macro socio-economic benefits:
(a) promoting the socio-economic development of the Pearl River West;
(b) reinforcing Hong Kong 's status as an international shipping and aviation center;
(c) promoting the development of regional tourism industries; and
(d) perfecting the regional transport network.
In August 2003, the State Council agreed that the governments of Guangdong , Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) should set up the AWCG and press ahead with the advance work for the construction of the Bridge. The AWCG consists of three representatives from each of the three governments of Guangdong , HKSAR and Macao SAR. The three representatives from HKSAR are the Secretary for Transport and Housing (STH), Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs and Director of Highways. STH is the convenor of the AWCG.
In February 2004, the AWCG commissioned the China Highway Planning and Design Institute (HPDI) to conduct a feasibility study for the HZMB. The study examined areas including the hydrology, environment, landscape, marine, ship impact protection, traffic, wind speed assessment and financial viability. To ensure that the feasibility study is conducted in a way that will satisfy the requirements of the Central Government for the purpose of project creation, and at the same time provide adequate and relevant information as input into the studies to be conducted by the different governments on a local level, the AWCG has set up a Project Office in Guangzhou to monitor HPDI's study and co-ordinate the exchange of information involved.
In April 2005, the alignment options were examined and discussed in detail by experts from the Mainland, HKSAR and Macao SAR during an Expert Panel Meeting on the HZMB Alignment organized by the National Development and Reform Commission and held in Zhuhai. The Expert Panel Meeting recommended the Northern bridge-cum-tunnel Alignment . This was endorsed by the AWCG.
In the Ninth Plenary of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference held in August 2006, the three governments agreed to adopt the mode of “separate locations of boundary crossing facilities”. HPDI has been commissioned to conduct relevant studies.
In the 8th AWCG Meeting held on 28 February 2008 at Guangzhou, the three sides agreed that the three Governments would be responsible for the construction and operation of the boundary crossing facilities and the link roads to the bridge within their own territory. According to the current proposed construction option, the main body of the bridge will be a 29.6km dual 3-lane carriageway in the form of bridge-cum-tunnel structure comprising an immersed tunnel of about 6.7km, with vehicle speed of 100 km per hour. To the west, it lands on the artificial island off Gongbei, and to the east, it lands on the eastern artificial island for the tunnel section just west of the HKSAR boundary, running across major navigation channels like the Lingding Channel, the Tonggu Channel, the Qingzhou Channel, the Jiuzhou Port Channel, and the Jianghai Channel etc.
Under the “separate locations of BCF mode”, the HKSAR government will be responsible for building its own BCF within the Hong Kong territory. We have commenced the Investigation and Preliminary Design study for the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities to determine its location, general layout, land requirement and impacts.
HKSAR Government has also commenced an investigation and preliminary design study for the link roads within Hong Kong. The objective of the study is to determine a preferred alignment and to carry out various impact assessments including assessments on traffic and the environment.
As shown in the photomontage, the HZMB Hong Kong link road will not touch any land area of Lantau. It will span across the headland between San Shek Wan and Sha Lo Wan by a viaduct. According to the current proposed construction option, the connecting roads are about 12.4 kilometres on the Hong Kong side.
On 9 January 2007, the Central Government announced the establishment of the HZMB Task Force to help push the project ahead. The Task Force is headed by the National Development and Reform Commission, with representatives from the Ministry of Communications, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the governments of Guangdong, HKSAR and Macao SAR as members. The Task Force held its first meeting on 9 January 2007.
With the continuous effort of the three governments, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Advance Work Co-ordination Group has at its 8th AWCG Meeting held on 28th February 2008 agreed to the construction option, financing arrangement as well as the next stage of work. The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have reached a further consensus on the financing arrangement for the HZMB in August 2008. Apart from the earlier agreement for each of the three governments to be responsible for the construction of the Boundary Crossing Facilities and link roads within their respective territory, the three sides have further agreed to take up the responsibility for the construction of the Main Bridge as well. More details can be found at the Press Releases below.
