The government said yesterday that the new sea-crossing namely Macau Bridge will remain closed the first time the Typhoon No.8 signal is hoisted after its opening because government engineers will need to gather respective technical data during the tropical cyclone with the aim of assessing its wind protection barriers’ ability and effectiveness to reduce the wind speed on the bridge.
After the technical data assessments, the government will come up with specific criteria for determining whether the bridge can open under particular strengths of the winds when a No.8 signal typhoon is affecting Macau, according to yesterday’s government announcements.
The government has said that Macau Bridge’s wind protection barriers will enable it to remain open to traffic even during the No.8 signal.
According to the local observatory (SMG), the No.8 signal warns that a tropical cyclone is approaching Macau. Winds with a sustained speed of 63 to 117 km/h are expected or blowing and gusts may exceed 180 km/h in Macau. The No.8 signal is the third highest of Macau’s five-signal storm warning system.
Macau’s three other Macau-Taipa bridges are routinely closed to vehicular traffic once the No.8 signal has been hoisted, except for the enclosed lower deck of Sai Van Bridge.
Zone A’s new roads
Wong Kuok Heng, who heads the Infrastructures Construction Division of the Public Works Bureau (DSOP), made the remarks during a press conference yesterday when he and Un Chao Wa, who heads the Traffic Planning Division of the Transport Bureau (DSAT), announced tomorrow’s opening of several new roads in the Zone A land reclamation area in the run-up to the upcoming opening of Macau’s fourth sea-crossing bridge connecting the Macau peninsula and Taipa island.
The government is yet to announce the opening date of the bridge after its construction was fully completed earlier this year.
Macau Bridge connects Zone A on the peninsula side and the Zone E1 land reclamation area on the Taipa side.
Wong also said during yesterday’s press conference that the government will announce Macau Bridge’s opening date in due course.
One more link b/w Zone A and HZMB checkpoint
Wong and Un announced yesterday that the several new roads to open tomorrow will include a new link connecting Zone A with the man-made island where the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) Macau checkpoint is located. Consequently, there will be two links between Zone A and the HZMB man-made island from tomorrow.
Vehicles travelling between the peninsula and the HZMB have to go through Zone A, which is primarily being developed for public housing projects.
Wong and Un said yesterday that tomorrow’s opening of the several new roads will enable better preparation ensuring smoother vehicular traffic flows in Zone A when Macau Bridge opens.
Un also said that his bureau is working with the Mapping and Land Registry Bureau (DSCC) with the aim of updating the official online map, which is run by the latter, in due course displaying and indicating the new roads’ names on the map.
Transport Bureau (DSAT) Traffic Planning Division Chief Un Chao Wa (right) speaks during yesterday’s press conference at a DSAT pressroom as Public Works Bureau (DSOP) Infrastructures Construction Division Chief Wong Kuok Heng looks on. – Photo: Tony Wong
This undated DSAT handout photo released yesterday shows roads surrounding the HZMB checkpoint, with new vehicular flows indicated by arrows and instructions in Chinese.
