The main bridge on the proposed Lingding Sea Channel will land at Qi'ao Island and then connect to the Qi'ao Bridge, Jinqin Express Road, and Western Coastal, Jiangmen-Zhuhai, Airport, and Gaolan Port expressways in Zhuhai, as well as Zhongshan expressways and express roads via 13 interchanges, according to preliminary planning.

The highway-railway Shenzhen-Zhuhai Link across the Lingding Sea would be 12 km (7.5 miles) downstream from the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, and 20 km (12 miles) upstream of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. It is designed to have a bridge to the west and eastside tunnel, according to the Zhuhai Transport Bureau.

It would run 47 km (29 miles) from Shenzhen's Qianhai and span through Qi'ao Island to the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway (S111 Guang'ao Expressway) Interchange. 

Rendering of Lingding Sea Channel [Photo by Zhang Yifan / Zhuhai Daily]

The cross-sea section design features a dual eight-lane expressway with a speed of 100 kmph (62 mph) as well as a quadruple-track railway.

Plans show that the 53.4-km (33-mile) Zhuhai section connects to the channel's cross-sea section in the east and Jiangmen's Dou'en Expressway in the west. Its feeders lead to the Airport, Gaolan Port, and Western Coastal expressways.

The channel will be an important passage that connects the east bank of the Pearl River with its west bank and even western Guangdong. It is considered essential to improving connectivity within the Greater Bay Area, as well as the Bay Area's connection with the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone.

The channel's western extension line has dual six lanes which allow a maximum speed of 120 kmph (75 mph).

The dual six-lane northern extension line of Gaolan Port Expressway will stretch 16.5 km (10 miles) to the Jiangmen-Zhuhai Expressway. The 6.1-km (3.8-mile) dual four-lane northern extension line of the Airport Expressway will connect the Jintai Interchange with the northern extension line of the Gaolan Port Expressway. Both roads are designed for a speed of 100 kmph.

Announced last September, the plan was approved at an expert review meeting on Oct 24. Public opinions are being solicited from now until Dec 17.