All of the girders for the main span of the Jinhai Avenue Bridge over the Modaomen Waterway were completed on Sept 5, securing the bridge's connection to the Airport Urban Rail Transit Phase II project and creating the foundation for the project's operation in 2023.

The 11.2-km (7-mile) bridge connecting Hengqin and Jinwan spans over Modaomen and Baiteng River waterways. The section with a width of 49.6 m (54 yd) over the Modaomen Waterway is the world's first and widest multi-tower cable-stayed bridge with both a highway and railway on the same platform.

A double-track railway with a designated speed of 160 kmph (99.5 mph) runs through the middle of the bridge with three two-way traffic lanes with a designated speed of 100 kmph (62 mph) running along each side of the track.

Jinhai Avenue Bridge [Photo by Li Jianshu / Zhuhai Daily]

China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group, the project's constructor, has overcome difficulties caused by typhoons, high temperatures, rain storms, and the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the on-time delivery of the project. Further construction of the bridge is now underway and is gearing up for track laying in October. 

Once operational, travel time between Hengqin and Jinwan will be reduced to 10 to 15 minutes and from Gongbei to Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport from 40 to 25 minutes.

The Airport Urban Rail Transit Phase II is set to be an important part of Zhuhai's convenient and comprehensive transportation network as it connects several checkpoints and transportation hubs alongside the route, making contributions to Zhuhai's construction of a national comprehensive transportation hub integrating the airport, sea ports, high-speed railways, expressways, and checkpoints.