Gov’t drops overpass project linking Zones A-B and circles back to tunnel option

The government has halted construction of the overpass intended to link Zones A and B of the new landfills. Authorities are now reconsidering the initial plan to build the connection as an underwater tunnel.

The Public Works Bureau (DSOP) acknowledged this in its response to a written inquiry from lawmaker Leong Hong Sai on the topic.

In the same response, the DSOP director, Lam Wai Hou, stated that the authorities are now considering building a common structure that can also be shared by the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) on its projected South Line.

“With regard to the connection between Zones A and B of the New Urban Landfills, a comprehensive assessment is currently underway regarding a common structural solution for the maritime section of the Light Rail South Line and the connection between Zones A and B of the New Urban Landfills,” the DSOP director remarked.

The decision to move forward with the construction of an overpass instead of the expected tunnel has been in the headlines since 2024, particularly at the start of 2025, when the then-departing lawmaker Ron Lam made harsh criticisms of the project and the manner in which previous government officials handled the situation.

Ron Lam criticized the former government, led by Ho Iat Seng, and the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, for not prioritizing public consultation before deciding on significant projects that affect people’s lives.

In a written inquiry to the authorities, Ron Lam recalled several significant projects in which the government did not use the public consultation mechanism to hear society’s views before making a decision, as well as accused the former executive of having discretionary power to decide when a public consultation is needed, without a clear justification.

The lawmaker said that the population was expecting a tunnel, but then, suddenly, the authorities changed the project to a flyover, which he said, besides being “against the will of many, creates a series of problems and impacts that were not foreseen.”

Among these impacts were difficulties with sailings to and from the Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal and visual interference with the Guia Lighthouse, which could go against UNESCO guidelines; several other groups and individuals also noted these concerns over time.

Several issues related to the overpass were later among the major topics continuously raised by the “Association of Synergy of Macau,” the group that supported Ron Lam’s run for the Legislative Assembly (AL) and has since been led by veteran journalist Johnson Ian.

Both Ron Lam and Ian were later deemed unsuitable to run in the AL elections, along with 10 other candidates from two electoral lists.

The decision was said to be based on a review opinion submitted by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security and announced to the public by the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election (CAEAL).

According to the CAEAL, the opinion concluded that the individuals from the two lists failed to uphold the Basic Law and did not pledge allegiance to the Macau SAR.

Construction of the Zone A-B overpass began in October 2024, following the awarding of the contract in May 2024 based on a pre-qualified tender.

The construction contract was awarded to a consortium comprising China Civil Engineering Construction Company and the local branch of Poly Changda Engineering Co., Ltd., at a price of MOP2.18 billion.

The project had a completion deadline of 900 working days with seven intermediate goals.

At the moment, the project has been removed from the “Ongoing Constructions” section of the DSOP website and placed back under “Projects in the Planning Stage.”