Tsing Ma suspension bridgeLantau Link
is a vital connection in the road and rail transport network
joining Hong Kong’s commercial heart with the internat-ional
airport at Chek Lap Kok on Lantau Island. It is formed by two
bridges crossing the Ma Wan shipping channel between Tsing Yi and
Ma Wan islands plus the Kap Shui Mun cable-stayed bridge, which
traverses the waterway between Ma Wan and Lantau.
The bridges are linked by a high level viaduct across Ma Wan
Island. Both the 1,377m main span Tsing Ma Bridge and the 430m main
span Kap Shui Mun Bridge carry a six-lane highway on their top
decks and twin rail tracks plus two emergency road lanes on their
lower levels, making them the largest bridges of their kind in the
world and the first to provide a truly all-weather crossing, even
in typhoon winds.
Tsing Ma bridge – we were responsible for the
planning, design and construction contract managementAs the
Hong Kong Government’s consultant, we conceived, planned, designed
and managed the Lantau Link through all stages of the project. We
were responsible for all design of the £600 million Tsing Ma
bridge, concept design and specification of the £180 million Kap
Shui Mun Bridge and construction management of the entire project.
Lantau Link was completed on time, in 1997, and within budget only
eight years after the decision to site Hong Kong’s much-needed
replacement airport at Lantau.
Between the go-ahead in late 1989 and the start of construction in
May 1992, we produced the design, advised the government on how to
procure the link and prepared the contract documentation, which
later formed the model for the majority of the Airport Core
Programme project. Contract management and site supervision duties
also included overseeing component manufacture. Our 300-strong
project team included bridge engineers, technical and contractual
specialists, safety experts, technical inspectors, surveyors,
project programmers and controllers, environmental specialists and
quality managers.
