Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Administration introduced environmental protection work for bridge construction

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was officially opened to traffic on Oct. 24th. The bridge was crossed the China White Dolphin National Nature Reserve in the Pearl River Estuary in Guangdong. The surrounding marine environment is extremely sensitive, and the impact of the project on the environment has received much attention. When the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Administration introduced the situation, it always emphasized the concept of “environmental protection first”, which will run the whole process of the bridge construction and promote ecological restoration during the operation period.
 
Yu Lie, deputy director of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Administration, said in an interview with reporters that the bridge project was adhered to the concept of “environmental protection first” and took “source control” as the starting point. The environmental impact assessment and sea area use, Chinese white dolphins’ protection, flood control evaluation and other environmental protection research have been carried out in the feasibility study stage of the project.
 
The engineering team also innovated the construction process and incorporated environmental elements into the construction. Yu Lie pointed out that the engineering team adopted the design concept of “large-scale, standardization, factorization and assembly” to realize the prefabrication, it will realize offshore assembly and assembly installation of immersed tunnels, bridge caps, piers and steel box girder shores, improve work efficiency and shorten construction time at sea.
 
At the same time, by increasing the non-navigable bridge span and the optimal design of the buried cap, the occupied sea area is reduced, the water blocking rate is reduced, the construction noise is reduced, and the impact of offshore construction on the marine environment and the Chinese white dolphins is reduced.
 
According to reports, the bridge management bureau will try to avoid large-scale dredging, excavation and other operations that are prone to large quantities of suspended solids during the peak season of Chinese white dolphins from April to August, and use large equipment to reduce the number of construction equipment, avoid concentrated and high-strength construction with relatively balanced work arrangements, and reduce adverse impacts on the construction area and surrounding organisms. Zhejiang Jianzhong Maritime Equipment Co., Ltd was participated in the dredging work. They products silt curtains were used for controlling the suspended solid.
 
For the main environmental protection work plan during the operation period, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Administration provided information from the reporters that the management personnel will cover the entire bridge by video surveillance, 24-hour continuous environmental monitoring in the tunnel, and specially established Chinese White Dolphin Observatory and the tide check station on two artificial islands. They will continuously monitor the water, gas, and acoustic environment and Chinese white dolphins in the main project of the bridge and nearby areas.
 
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Administration said that it will also plan to gradually carry out ecological restoration work during the operation period; they will improve the ecological environment of artificial islands and provide habitats for seabirds; and jointly carry out research projects to improve the Pearl River Estuary ecosystem and protect Chinese white dolphins with scientific research institutions.