Photo taken on April 2, 2019 shows the Humen second Bridge (Nansha Bridge) in Dongguan, South China's Guangdong Province. (Photo/China News Service)
(ECNS) - Nansha Bridge opened to traffic on Tuesday in Guangdong Province, providing a key link in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and also boasting 5G mobile connectivity.
Also known as the second Humen Bridge, the 12.89 kilometer-long span links Dongyong Town in Guangzhou City to Shatian Town in Dongguan City, with eight lanes in both directions. It has a designed service life of 100 years and allows traffic to flow at up to 100 kilometers per hour.
The bridge cuts the journey from southern Guangzhou to Dongguan by 10 kilometers, 30 minutes faster than the previous travel time.
The Guangdong branch of China Tower, which primarily engages in construction, maintenance and operation of telecommunications towers, has cooperated with three telecom operators and a Guangdong company to offer 4G and 5G mobile networks on the bridge, making it the first bridge in China to offer 5G service.
Over the past 20 years, Humen Bridge has been the only expressway connecting the east and west sides of the Pearl River, but it was increasingly unable to meet transport needs amid the economic rise of the Pearl River Delta.
An official from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Transportation said about 50,000 vehicles a day are estimated to pass over Nansha Bridge.
