Installation began on the steel tube arches of the Baiteng River section of the Jinhai Avenue Bridge on Aug 21, which are expected to form an iconic landscape structure on the Baiteng River Waterway upon its completion in 2023.

The steel tube arches will provide structural support to the bridge and are being installed on the 180-m (197-yd) main span of the bridge's section over the Baiteng River. During installation, they will be lifted to the support by sections for welding before being lifted to the design position after forming a whole. 

Rendering of the Baiteng River section of Jinhai Avenue Bridge [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily]

The Jinhai Avenue Bridge goes across the Modaomen and Baiteng River waterways. It has been designed with enough space below to allow ships to pass through. The section over the Modaomen Waterway will be a cable-stayed bridge with four prefabricated steel main towers.

The bridge is a vital part of the 22.8-km (14.2-mile) Airport Urban Rail Transit Phase II project that starts from Hengqin Chimelong Station and heads west to Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport. The double-track railway in the middle of the bridge has a designated speed of 160 kmph (99.5 mph) and will be put into operation in the first half of 2023. The three lanes on each side of the railway will have a designed speed limit of 100 kmph (62 mph) and are expected to start operation in the second half of 2023.

Once operational, the Airport Urban Rail Transit will help form a "Xiangzhou-Hengqin-Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport" intercity railway artery, linking several ports and transportation hubs in the city.