First subway line to cross Yangtze

First subway line to cross Yangtze

Created: 2009-10-18 0:47:19

CHINA'S first subway tunnel traversing the Yangtze River is expected to begin construction this month in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, local officials said yesterday.

The 3,100-meter-long tunnel will be located between the country's first bridge on the river, the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, and its first road tunnel beneath the river, they said.

The subway tunnel is expected to reduce 50 percent of the city's traffic flow across the river. It is designed to withstand a 6.0-magnitude earthquake and a flood that occurs once every 300 years, they said.

The tunnel is part of the city's No. 2 Metro line with a length of 27.98 kilometers, which is expected to be completed in 2012.

About 14.9 billion yuan (US$2.2 billion) will be invested in the construction of the Metro line, officials said.

The first road tunnel was built in Wuhan and opened for traffic last December.

Another two road tunnels under the Yangtze River in Shanghai and Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, are expected to open for traffic respectively at the end of this year and in July 2010.

The 6,300-kilometer Yangtze River, which originates in northwest China's Qinghai Province and flows through 10 provinces and municipalities before emptying into the East China Sea, is a major transport link between the west and east China. More than 100 bridges across the river are in use.

Meanwhile, construction to extend a Metro line in Beijing built for the 2008 Olympics also started on Friday.

According to the municipal transport authorities, the No. 8 line will be extended both to the north and south. The added northern section will traverse 10.7 kilometers from the south gate of the Beijing Olympic Park to the Huilongguan apartment community, outside the city's northern Fifth Ring Road.

Xinhua

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World’s Seventh Longest Bridge Opens in Incheon

10-16-2009 18:14

World’s Seventh Longest Bridge Opens in Incheon

By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter

Some say that it is one of the world's 10 construction wonders. Others point out that a round-trip over it is almost the same length as a marathon.

The 21.38-kilometer Incheon Bridge, by all accounts, is a man-made structure that exacts wow from onlookers. The completion of the cable-stayed bridge, the world's seventh longest, was celebrated Friday with President Lee Myung-bak on hand.

It will open to traffic Monday at 12:00 a.m., marking the completion of the $1.4-billion mega project that has taken more than four years. A fine example of Korea's engineering expertise, the bridge will serve as one of the nation's new symbols to the world, Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo said.

A ceremony was held to mark the momentous opening of the landmark for Incheon and Korea. A special marathon took place over the weekend to celebrate the occasion.

The country's longest bridge connects the Songdo International Business District in the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) to Yeongjongdo, where Incheon International Airport is located.

The average toll fee for driving on the six-lane bridge is 5,500 won, according to the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM), Friday. Large vehicles will be subject to higher fees.

Constructed under the Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) contracts, the bridge will expedite transportation from Incheon International Airport to Songdo International City by about 35 minutes. It will now be possible to get from the airport to the international city in around 15 minutes.

In connection with the surrounding national road network, the bridge is expected to significantly improve the traffic and logistics conditions in the metropolitan area. Previously, the route from southern Seoul to the city of Incheon has been poor, with commuters needing to take a long detour.

UK's Construction News has selected it as one of the world's 10 construction wonders. The mega project was largely completed off-site to overcome the challenges of working above water.

Korea has high hopes for its role in attracting more foreign businesses and tourists to the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ), currently under construction as one of the most dynamic and globalized urban areas in the country.

The centerpiece of the IFEZ is Songdo International City, 64 kilometers from Seoul. It is the largest development project of its kind in Korea and there are hopes it will become Northeast Asia's new multicultural center of business and education.

"The bridge is an instrumental infrastructure for the IFEZ. Its completion will undoubtedly advance the country's policy of becoming a business hub of Northeast Asia through a successful implementation of the IFEZ project," Lee Heon-seok, CEO of the IFEZ Authority, said in a statement.

By 2014, the free economic zone will house more than 300 Northeast Asian business headquarters, 30 international organizations including those affiliated with the United Nations and extended campuses of 15 foreign universities.

The IFEZ is considered to be a leader in terms of foreign investments and development, having six similar projects under way in various parts of the country ― including Busan, Daegu and Jeolla Province ― since 2003.

jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr