Gov’t to launch study for fifth Macau-Taipa link

The government has confirmed that it will announce, by the end of this year, the commencement of a project plan regarding a fifth link connecting the Macau Peninsula and Taipa.

The information was disclosed by lawmaker Ho Ion Sang after a Legislative Assembly (AL) Follow-up Committee on Land and Public Concession Affairs meeting in the presence of some government representatives, including the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário.

The government is considering building a fifth connection linking Macau New Urban Zone B, Zone C, and Zone D.

Previously, the government had envisaged building a tunnel to solve the cross-sea transportation problems.

The aforementioned meeting focused on the construction progress of the five districts within the Macau New Urban Zone (newly reclaimed land).

According to Ho, zone A reclamation, which covers 138 hectares, will be completed within this year.

District C, which occupies 33 hectares, will also be completed in 2017.

Zone D’s construction period will start also in this year with the zone covering 53 hectares.

Moreover, Ho revealed that public works departments are also conducting engineering projects to make the connection between the Macau Peninsula and the Macau port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HKZMB).

The government disclosed to the follow-up committee that the objective is to synchronize the HKZMB’s opening with the beginning of the connection between the Macau checkpoints of the HKZMB and the Macau peninsula.

A two-way channel comprising six lanes in total has been planned to connect the Oriental Pearl to the central area of New Urban Zone A, and later to the HKZMB’s Macau section.

It has been revealed that the government has planned 28,000 public houses units for Zone A. Furthermore, Ho noted that the authority is considering the possibility of initially building public houses in the northern area. Plans regarding this topic will be completed soon.

Judiciary departments, including Macau’s courts, are planned to be relocated to in front of the MGM resort and near the Governador Nobre de Carvalho bridge. In Zone B, two gardens will be created close to the judiciary departments.

The Customs and marine authorities will be located in Zone E1 and they will have access to helicopter services. 

According to Ho, the government has not disclosed the detailed number of public house units that it will build in the northern area of Zone A, but it made clear that only a part of the total 28,000 public house units will be built there.

Project management company hired for 4th bridge

Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited has been hired by the government for inspection, project management and pricing services related to the construction of the fourth sea bridge between the Macau peninsula and the island of Taipa, according to an order from the Chief Executive.

The order, published in the Official Gazette, authorizes the signing of the contract with the company in the amount of MOP188.375 million (USD23.5 million), which will be paid in installments of between 11 million and MOP53 million from 2017 to 2021.

Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited has been involved in several international projects, such as the Sydney Opera House, the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Water Cube in Beijing.

In September 2016, the Macau government awarded CCCC Highway Consultants the preliminary design of the fourth bridge for 75.19 million patacas (US$9.4 million).

The Macau government has not yet publicly announced which company or consortium will build the fourth sea bridge between the Macau peninsula and the island of Taipa. MDT/Macauhub