2015年CRI The Construction of HK-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge to be Delayed by a Year

 

The Hong Kong Highways Department has confirmed for the first time the Hong Kong section of the bridge won't be completed by the original plan of the end of next year.

There has been a lot of speculation¹ surrounding the delays, but no official confirmation² until this week.

Hong Kong's Highways Department is pinning the blame on a number of factors, including the physical difficulties involved in the construction, as well as issues surrounding land reclamation³ for the bridge's struts⁴, a shortage of labor⁵ and supplies, as well as issues connected to environmental requirements and height limits.

Hong Kong lawmakers don't appear likely to give the green-light to add any additional money into the mix to get the bridge built faster.

Hong Kong Transport Secretary Anthony Cheung says they have no plans to ask for additional cash in the budget.

"Earlier this year, the Transport Panel at LegCo supported our 5.4 billion HK dollars budget request. It should be enough to deal with the delays in the rest of the construction."

Hong Kong's contribution to the bridge was originally set at 30 billion HK dollars, which is just under 4-billion US dollars.

However, the additional 5.4 billion HK dollars being asked for hasn't been approved yet by Hong Kong's Legislative⁶ Council.

Another factor causing delays is the drifting of an artificial island built for the bride, which has reportedly drifted as much as 7-meters because of the dredging methods being used.

LegCo Transport panel vice-Chair Tang Ka-piu says this may end up pushing costs higher.

"I am worried the cost and budget will be higher. I urge the Secretary of Transport to have more detailed⁷ and clear explanation about the budget and process to the Transport Panel of LegCo."

After the bridge is opened, the travel time from Hong Kong to the mainland city of Zhuhai will be cut from more than three hours to only half an hour.

Professor Xu Jiang with the Department of Geography and Resource Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong says the delay is likely going to have an impact on plans for the integration⁸ of the Pearl River Delta⁹ region.

"The three cities could focus their marketing¹⁰ strategies around day trips or two-day trips if it is easier for visitors to travel around. So the delay will cause a slow down of the anticipated development of the regional tourism industry. The bridge is a key piece of infrastructure¹¹ for Hong Kong playing a greater role in the region."

Hong Kong authorities are also hoping to use the bridge to leverage¹² more shipping¹³ container traffic into the city, as it will be easier to move the products to the mainland through the bridge.

Construction of the bridge started in December 2009.

However, work on the Hong Kong side was held-up for around 2-years due to legal challenges over the environmental impact of the bridge.

For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.

1 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

2 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

3 reclamation   

n.开垦；改造；（废料等的）回收

参考例句：

• We should encourage reclamation and recycling.我们应当鼓励废物的回收和利用。
• The area is needed for a land reclamation project.一个土地开垦项目要在这一地区进行。

4 struts   

（框架的）支杆( strut的名词复数 )； 支柱； 趾高气扬的步态； （尤指跳舞或表演时）卖弄

参考例句：

• The struts are firmly braced. 那些支柱上得很牢靠。
• The Struts + EJB framework is described in part four. 三、介绍Struts+EJB框架的技术组成：Struts框架和EJB组件技术。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

8 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

9 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

10 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

13 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。