Pingsha New Town is taking shape quickly as roads -- including distinctive arch brides -- and a central park are opening while schools and other facilities are being constructed.

Totaling 25 sq km (10-sq-mile) and located just south of Ocean Spring Resort on the east coast of the Huangmao Sea in the Gaolan Port Economic Zone, the Pingsha New Town forms part of Western Eco-New Town in Jinwan District. Envisioned as a livable coastal new town with an eventual population of 220,000, it will integrate leisure and tourism, business and office, conference and exhibition, R&D, and high-end residence buildings.

With over 3 billion yuan ($423 million) having been utilized, the 5.7-sq-km (2.2-sq-mile) initial area will give rise to six centers for administrative, transport and transfer, education, commerce, culture and sports, and medical services. It will initially provide Gaolan with high-end residential facilities and services. 

Eleven-arch bridge and two nine-arch bridges modeled after classic one in Beijing's Summer Palace [Photo by Zhang Zhou / Zhuhai Daily]        

Some 15 km (9 miles) of river have been retained to highlight the natural ecology. Four red-granite arch bridges have opened and six are being completed.

The 426,000-sq-m (105-acre) central park, which has several ponds and stretches of water covering 150,000 sq m (37 acres) in all, will be completed by the end of this year.   

In terms of infrastructure, eight out of 14 roads have opened to traffic. Haiquanwan (Ocean Spring Resort) Road will follow by the end of this year, while the north extension of Lixin Road and Chunquan Road will open by 2021.

Meanwhile, 6.3 km (4 miles) of the 8.77 km (5.4 miles) of underground utility tunnels will be completed next year.