The decade of the 1960s was a golden age for the former British colony of Hong Kong. The city's population was expanding at a rapid rate, and it was developing into an important financial center. However, there was a significant obstacle, and that was the absence of a direct connection to the rest of China.
The only way to get to Hong Kong was to take a boat ride, which was both a lengthy and sometimes perilous endeavor.As a result, the administration of Hong Kong conceived of an audacious scheme, which was to construct a bridge-tunnel system that would connect Hong Kong to the mainland. In 1967, approval was given for the project, and the following year, building got underway.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (also known as the HZMB) spans a distance of 55 kilometers (34 miles) and is composed of a bridge, a tunnel, and an artificial island. The length of the tunnel part is 6.7 miles, while the length of the bridge section is 22 miles.
The two portions of the HZMB come together at the artificial island, which also serves as the location of the control center for the HZMB.The HZMB became the world's longest sea crossing when was opened to traffic in 2018, making it the longest sea crossing in the world. The travel time between Hong Kong and the mainland has been reduced from three hours to just thirty minutes as a result of this.
The HZMB is a work of engineering genius that serves as a demonstration of the transformative potential of the inventiveness of humans. It is a symbol of China's expanding economic prowess, and it is certain to play an important part in the future of the country.