The construction site of the underwater tunnel of Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. Zhou Hongsheng and Hu Lei
The connectivity between Shenzhen and other three cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) — Guangzhou, Dongguan and Foshan — has been improved through Nansha and Humen bridges.
Along with other two bridges, specifically Huangpu and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridges, the four cross-river channels jointly formed corridors connecting the cities located at the west and east side of the Pearl River, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
The Nansha Bridge project has been put into use after the GBA development plan was unveiled in 2019. In just a few years, the bridge saw vehicle flow increase by nearly 120%, with its highest vehicle flow exceeding 180,000, according to the report.
At present, construction work is stepping up on the Shenzhen-Jiangmen railway. The 116.3-kilometer railway is expected to be put into use in 2025 to further enhance the connectivity in the GBA.
The railway is also the first cross-sea railway, and after completion, it will take about 50 minutes to travel between Shenzhen and Jiangmen. Moreover, travel time between Shenzhen’s China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone Qianhai and Shekou area and Guangzhou’s Nansha area will take 30 minutes by high-speed trains.
In addition, the Foshan-Dongguan intercity railway and Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link (Shenzhong Link) are also being constructed. More and more city clusters located at the west and east side of the mouth of the Pearl River will be connected through the transportation projects.
At the end of 2021, the length of expressways in the GBA has reached 4,972 kilometers and its road network density has reached 9.1 kilometers per 100 square kilometers, as per the report.
Enhanced connectivity will also support the integrated development among cities in the GBA. “With Shenzhong Link, Shenzhen’s research results can have a wider influence and impact on Zhongshan, while Zhongshan can attract high-tech innovation resources from Shenzhen to update its industries,” Qu Jian, deputy director of China Development Institute, was quoted as saying.