Awarded entry of the HKIE 50th Anniversary Legacy Award - Grand Award (Infrastructure Category)

In 1989, the HKSAR Government announced plans for a new airport and Tung Chung New Town, which included the construction of a dual three-lane highway and a railway connecting Hong Kong Island to the new airport. The Lantau Link was the most critical and challenging section of this project, comprising the Tsing Ma Bridge, Ma Wan Viaduct, and Kap Shui Mun Bridge. The Tsing Ma Bridge stands out as the most significant feature, spanning the busy Ma Wan Channel. It includes a sheltered lower deck for vehicles and a rail envelope to ensure continuous operation of rail and road traffic during adverse weather conditions. Since completion in 1997, the Tsing Ma Bridge has remained the longest dual-purpose suspension bridge for road and rail in the world.

As Hong Kong’s first suspension bridge, the Tsing Ma Bridge introduced several innovative local engineering techniques. For instance, it features a streamlined design and ventilation gaps in the central area of the upper and lower decks to enhance aerodynamic stability. Additionally, the bridge is equipped with a monitoring system for real-time monitoring and assessment of its structural health. During construction, the project marked a milestone by using a strand jacking system to lift the twin-unit deck weighing up to 1,000 tonnes. The 206-m-high concrete bridge towers, built using a slipform construction method, set a record as the tallest in Hong Kong at that time. After 28 years of operation, the Tsing Ma Bridge continues to serve as a vital transport hub in Hong Kong, contributing to economic growth and representing a significant milestone in the city’s construction industry.

Tsing Ma Bridge