WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1991
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TENDERS INVITED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TSING MA BRIDGE
INVITING TENDERS
THE GOVERNMENT IS
FROM PREQUALIFIED CONTRACTORS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TSING MA BRIDGE, THE FIRST OF TWO CABLE SUPPORTED BRIDGES OF THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING.
THE DIRECTOR OF HIGHWAYS, MR KWEI SEE-KAN, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) SAID THE TSING MA BRIDGE CONTRACT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR NEW AIRPORT-RELATED CONTRACT TO BE LET AFTER THE INITIALLING OF THE SINO-BRITISH MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING EARLY THIS MONTH.
"IT IS ONE OF THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE EXTENSIVE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW AIRPORT TO BE BUILT AT CHEK LAP KOK AND PORT AND LAND DEVELOPMENT ON LANTAU ISLAND, HE SAID.
MR KWEI SAID THE TSING MA BRIDGE WOULD CROSS THE SHIPPING CHANNEL BETWEEN THE ISLANDS OF TSING YI AND MA WAN IN THE FORM OF A SUSPENSION BRIDGE WITH A MAIN SPAN OF 1,377 METRES AND A VERTICAL NAVIGATION CLEARANCE OF 60 METRES.
IN THE BRIDGE DECK THERE WOULD BE ABOUT 40,000 TONNES OF STRUCTURAL STEEL WHICH WAS ABOUT ONE-AND-A-HALF TIMES THE STRUCTURAL STEEL USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HONG KONG BANK HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
HE SAID THE 36-METRE WIDE BRIDGE DECK WOULD ACCOMMODATÉ SIX-LANE CARRIAGEWAYS ON ITS UPPER DECK.
RAILWAY
TWO SHELTERED TRAFFIC LANES FOR EMERGENCY USE AND TWO TRACKS WOULD BE PROVIDED AT A LOWER LEVEL INSIDE THE BRIDGE DECK.
THE BRIDGE TOWERS, 196 METRES HIGH, WOULD BE OF CONCRETE.
THE DIRECTOR SAID UPON COMPLETION, THE TSING MA BRIDGE WOULD BE THE WORLD'S LONGEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE CARRYING BOTH ROAD AND RAILWAY TRAFFIC.
TENDER DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION BY THE PREQUALIFIED CONTRACTORS FROM TODAY. THE CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF TENDERS IS DECEMBER 16 THIS YEAR.
THE AWARDING OF CONTRACT WILL BE MADE IN THE EARLY PART OF NEXT YEAR. CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE FIVE YEARS.
THE TENDERS FOR THE SECOND CABLE SUPPORTED BRIDGE, THE КАР SHUI MUN BRIDGE, AND THE MA WAN VIADUCT WILL BE INVITED SHORTLY.
THE BRIDGE AND THE VIADUCT WILL LINK THE TSING MA BRIDGE WITH THE TOLL PLAZA ON LANTAU ISLAND AND THE NORTH LANTAU EXPRESSWAY LEADING TO THE NEW AIRPORT.
IT IS SCHEDULED THAT BOTH BRIDGES WILI BE COMPLETED IN TIME FOR THE OPENING OF THE NEW AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK.
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