The Humen Bridge: A "Bridge of Pride" Transforming the Pearl River Delta and Witnessing the Integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

The Humen Bridge: A "Bridge of Pride" Transforming the Pearl River Delta and Witnessing the Integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay AreaThe Humen Bridge, China's most profitable bridge, is renowned not only for its immense economic benefits but also for its profound impact on the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and its role as a witness to the integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Since its opening in 1997, it has not only shortened the distance between Guangzhou and Dongguan, fostering their integrated development, but also become a crucial link connecting the east and west banks of the Pearl River and facilitating exchanges among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao

The Humen Bridge: A "Bridge of Pride" Transforming the Pearl River Delta and Witnessing the Integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

The Humen Bridge, China's most profitable bridge, is renowned not only for its immense economic benefits but also for its profound impact on the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and its role as a witness to the integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Since its opening in 1997, it has not only shortened the distance between Guangzhou and Dongguan, fostering their integrated development, but also become a crucial link connecting the east and west banks of the Pearl River and facilitating exchanges among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. Its story deserves in-depth exploration.

The Humen Opium War and the Humen Bridge: A Historical Coincidence and the Passage of Time

For many, the name "Humen" first evokes the Humen Opium War of 1839. Lin Zexu chose Humen to destroy the opium because of its location at the mouth of the Pearl River, facilitating the "sea water immersion method." Across the river lies Nansha District, Guangzhou. Today, the Humen Bridge, spanning the Pearl River estuary and connecting Guangzhou and Dongguan, was built precisely to enable rapid transportation between the two cities.

Before the Humen Bridge, transportation between Guangzhou and Dongguan primarily relied on the Humen ferry terminal. Opened in 1991, the terminal was designed to handle 3,000 vehicles per day, but the actual daily traffic volume reached over 7,000 more than double the planned capacity. This massive demand strongly propelled the construction of the Humen Bridge.

Challenges and Breakthroughs: Technological Bottlenecks and Funding Difficulties

However, constructing the Humen Bridge in China at that time was no easy feat. Numerous challenges were faced:

Firstly, the harsh natural environment. Located at the mouth of the Pearl River, the bridge faces frequent typhoons, thunderstorms, and other severe weather events, posing significant threats to construction and operation. More importantly, the Lion's Bay section of the Pearl River is a major international waterway in South China, and the bridge's construction had to fully consider the safe passage of 10,000-ton ships.

Secondly, technological bottlenecks. The Humen Bridge employed large-span modern suspension bridge technology, an area completely unexplored in China at the time. There were no existing construction standards or design specifications, requiring independent research and development. Foreign bridge construction companies even doubted the possibility of Chinese engineers building such a large-span bridge in the Pearl River estuary. However, Chinese engineers overcame tremendous difficulties and ultimately completed this seemingly impossible task.

During construction, Chinese engineers achieved numerous "firsts": the first development of a complete modern suspension bridge structural analysis program; the establishment of a systematic and complete monitoring and control technology for the upper structure construction of suspension bridges; the first adoption of a fully welded structure between flat steel box girder segments, solving the adjustment technology and welding technology of weld gaps during box girder hoisting; the first successful design, manufacture, and erection of large-scale prefabricated strands with 127 wires per strand and large-scale cast-welded combined main and auxiliary cable saddles; and the first application of underground continuous wall waterproofing technology in bridge foundations, solving the technical problem of severely uneven rock surfaces at the west pier foundation of the suspension bridge.

In addition to technological challenges, funding was another major hurdle. In the early 1990s, investing hundreds of billions of yuan in a single bridge was not easy for China, and Guangdong Province lacked the financial capacity to shoulder the enormous investment alone. Ultimately, the mainland provided 70% of the funding, while renowned Hong Kong-based patriotic businessman Hu Yingxiang contributed 30%. Hu's investment far exceeded expectations, reaching 3 billion yuan.

Economic and Social Benefits: The Significance of a "Money-Making Bridge"

The Humen Bridge opened on June 9, 1997. To recoup the initial investment, a one-way toll system was implemented for 32 years. Although the toll for a typical passenger car is 40 yuan per one-way trip, the economic benefits far exceeded expectations.

The bridge's designed daily traffic volume was 80,000 standard vehicles, but the actual daily peak traffic flow has reached nearly 200,000 vehicles. As of its 25th anniversary in 2022, the cumulative traffic volume exceeded 500 million vehicles, and toll revenue exceeded 20 billion yuan. The Humen Bridge not only quickly recouped its costs but also continues to generate substantial economic benefits, becoming a true "money-making bridge."

However, focusing solely on toll revenue overlooks the bridge's broader significance. It shortened the distance between Dongguan and Guangzhou, promoting their integrated development. Dongguan's products can be transported more quickly to the west bank of the Pearl River and beyond, supporting Dongguan's foreign trade exports; Dongguan can also absorb industrial overflow from Guangzhou, providing Guangzhou with a large number of industrial products and raw materials. In terms of technological innovation, Nansha District, Guangzhou, and Binhaowan New District, Dongguan, have signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement to build a coordinated and complementary regional collaborative innovation system.

The completion of the Humen Bridge also transformed the traffic pattern on the east and west banks of the Pearl River. Previously, travel from Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong on the east bank to Zhongshan, Zhuhai, and Macao on the west bank required a detour through Guangzhou, significantly increasing travel time. After the opening of the Humen Bridge, the travel distance was shortened by more than 120 kilometers, greatly promoting exchanges among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

The saying "Dongguan traffic jams, global shortages" vividly illustrates Dongguan's crucial role in the global industrial chain and the importance of the Humen Bridge to the PRD and global manufacturing.

The Improvement of the GBA Transportation Network and the Future of the Humen Bridge

In recent years, the construction of the GBA has accelerated, with numerous bridges spanning mountains and rivers, connecting the Bay Area more closely. The completion of new bridges such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Nansha Bridge, and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Passage has infused new vitality into the GBA's transportation network, also affecting the Humen Bridge's status. In the year of the Nansha Bridge's opening, the Humen Bridge's traffic volume decreased by 20%. As the GBA transportation network continues to improve, the Humen Bridge's position will likely decline further.

However, this is not a setback for the Humen Bridge, but rather a natural trend in the development of the GBA. Regional economic integration relies on transportation. The construction of more "power bridges" will further enhance the driving force of the GBA's development and promote regional economic integration. As a pioneer, the Humen Bridge's historical significance and role remain undeniable, forever etched in the annals of the GBA's development.

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