Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.China is set to open the longest sea-crossing bridge ever built, nine years after construction began.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge connects Hong Kong and Macau to the Chinese mainland and covers 34 miles.
The project was delayed by two years and cost a total of $20bn (£15bn).
The bridge needed 60 times more steel than used to build the Eiffel Tower and includes a four-mile undersea tunnel connected by two artificial islands.
It will be opened to traffic in the morning of 24 October and the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, will be at the ceremony.
Journey times between the cities will be cut from three hours down to 30 minutes.
“With the bridge, the travelling time between Hong Kong and the western Pearl River Delta region will be shortened significantly, thereby bringing the western Pearl River Delta region within three hours’ drive from Hong Kong,” the city’s transport secretary, Frank Chan, said, according to CNN.
Estimates suggest the bridge will be in use for 120 years but there are likely to be restrictions on usage.
Private car owners in Hong Kong will require a permit to use the bridge, but people will have access to shuttle buses.
The building of the bridge has not been without controversy; the bridge was delayed by a number of years and the budget overran.
There were also corruption prosecutions, seven workers died and 129 were injured during the construction process.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments