Editing Tsing Ma Bridge (section)

== History ==
=== Background ===
The Tsing Ma Bridge is the most prominent element of the [[Lantau Link]], an infrastructure project built to connect [[Lantau Island|Lantau]], Hong Kong's largest island, to the urbanised areas of the territory. Until this link opened in 1997, Lantau Island could only be accessed by water, and was completely rural. The Lantau Link was built as part of the [[Airport Core Programme]], which ultimately served to provide Hong Kong with [[Chek Lap Kok Airport|a brand new airport at Chek Lap Kok]] (off the north coast of Lantau) to replace the older, congested [[Kai Tak Airport]].

=== Construction ===
Numerous consortia bid on the contract to construct the bridge. Hyundai made the lowest bid but were disqualified for non-compliance with the financial requirements.<ref name="workstarts">{{cite news|title=Work starts on Tsing Ma contract|work=South China Morning Post|date=28 May 1992|page=35}}</ref> A Japanese bid was ruled out for being too expensive. The Anglo Japanese Construction Joint Venture, comprising [[Costain Group|Costain]], [[Mitsui]], and [[Trafalgar House (company)|Trafalgar House]], won the job.<ref name="marvel">{{cite news|last1=Davis|first1=Chris|title=Engineering marvel becomes territory's latest landmark|work=South China Morning Post|date=22 May 1997|page=1}}</ref> Construction work on the bridge began in May 1992.<ref name="workstarts"/> [[Gammon Construction]] constructed the [[Caisson (engineering)|caissons]] for the bridge towers. The framework for each caisson was floated into place and sunk, and then filled with concrete underwater.<ref name="gammon">{{cite news|title=Gammon begins bridge under the water|work=South China Morning Post|date=30 July 1992|page=26}}</ref> The two caissons on the Ma Wan side weigh 4,500 tons each, while those on the Tsing Yi side (closer to shore) each weigh about 3,000 tons.<ref name="gammon"/> Land reclamation was carried out at both ends of the bridge. The more substantial reclamation on Ma Wan was used as a work platform for construction crews.<ref name="gammon"/>

The first steel deck segment was lifted into place in late 1994.<ref name="milestone">{{cite news|last1=Wallis|first1=Keith|title=Tsing Ma milestone reached|work=South China Morning Post|date=25 October 1994|page=4}}</ref> The approach deck segments were constructed in Britain and Dubai and then shipped to Hong Kong for assembling. The main span segments were built by [[Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company]] in the U.K. and by Mitsui in Japan.<ref name="milestone"/> The climbing cranes used to erect the tower portals were coincidentally also used on the [[HSBC Building (Hong Kong)|HSBC Main Building]] a decade earlier, as well as at [[Canary Wharf]] in the interim.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Metcalfe|first1=Tim|title=Kvaerner's expertise in building spans the years|work=South China Morning Post|date=29 April 1997|page=25}}</ref>

=== Inauguration ===
Construction was finished in May 1997. It cost HK$7.2 billion. The [[Lantau Link]], of which the bridge is an integral part, was inaugurated on 27 April 1997 by former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref name="debacle">{{cite news|last1=Heaver|first1=Stuart|title=Tsing Ma Bridge height debacle costing Hong Kong billions|url=http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2098515/tsing-ma-bridge-height-debacle-costing-hong-kong-billions|work=South China Morning Post|date=17 June 2017}}</ref> Security was extremely tight as Thatcher was considered one of the top targets of the [[Irish Republican Army]].<ref name="secret">{{cite news|title=Security tight for Thatcher's bridge opening|work=South China Morning Post|url=http://www.scmp.com/article/193737/security-tight-thatchers-bridge-opening|date=27 April 1997|page=4}}</ref>

The commemoration ceremony began with a flotilla of police and other government vessels passing beneath the bridge, before [[Government Flying Service]] and [[Royal Air Force]] aircraft flew above the concrete towers.<ref name="scmpopening"/> Thatcher, Chief Secretary [[Anson Chan]], and Governor [[Chris Patten]] then switched on the bridge lights and drove across the span with other dignitaries. The celebration concluded with a 20-minute firework and laser show, featuring fire pouring from the length of the bridge, engineered by the Pyromagic Productions company.<ref name="scmpopening"/> Chief Executive-designate [[Tung Chee-hwa]] declined to attend as he said he would rather meet with officials in Guangdong.<ref name="scmpopening">{{cite news|last1=Delfino|first1=Brendan|title=Territory's new gateway opens in spectacular style|work=South China Morning Post|date=28 April 1997|page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Wallen|first1=David|last2=Lo|first2=Alex|title=Firework harmony hopes up in smoke|work=South China Morning Post|date=30 April 1997|page=3}}</ref>

The opening ceremony was highly anticipated and attracted more than 100,000 spectators, most of them standing along [[Castle Peak Road]], which was closed to road traffic.<ref name="spotlight">{{cite news|last1=Lee|first1=Stella|title=Spotlight on crowd control for handover|work=South China Morning Post|date=29 April 1997}}</ref> The [[Tuen Mun Road]] was also closed to traffic from 7:40 to 8:20 pm, and a 20-minute fireworks display, costing HK$5 million, began at 8 pm.<ref name="secret"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Flint|first1=John|title=Lantau link fireworks not for the faint-hearted|work=South China Morning Post|date=17 April 1997|page=5}}</ref> [[MTR]], [[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus]], and [[Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation|KCR Corporation]] arranged special transport services for the event.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lo|first1=Alex|title=Long march home faces fireworks fans|work=South China Morning Post|date=26 April 1997|page=5}}</ref> More than 2,300 police officers were deployed, and the crowd control exercise was studied by the police for its relevance to the upcoming [[Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong|Handover]] ceremony.<ref name="spotlight"/> Three boating accidents occurred during the bridge inauguration.<ref name="spotlight"/>

The Lantau Link was opened to traffic on 22 May 1997 at 8:00 am. Cars queued for four hours before police opened the bridge.<ref name="roadopen">{{cite news|last1=Delfino|first1=Brendan|title=Woman injured as hundreds cross link|work=South China Morning Post|date=23 May 1997|page=4}}</ref> Snaking queues also formed at bus stations at 7:00 am as passengers sought to view the new infrastructure as well as the [[North Lantau New Town]], which was still under construction.<ref name="roadopen"/>

The first road accident on the Lantau Link occurred on the Tsing Ma Bridge on 23 May 1997. Two motorcyclists were injured in a collision with a lorry.<ref name="chaos">{{cite news|last1=Flint|first1=John|last2=Lo|first2=Clifford|title=Police issue warning after crash on Link|work=South China Morning Post|date=24 May 1997|page=4}}</ref> The police warned the public not to rush to use the new bridges and highways to avoid causing chaos.<ref name="chaos"/>

Two special bus routes came into operation on 24 May 1997 for passengers to view the Lantau Link. The X21 and X31 buses ran from [[Tai Kok Tsui]] and [[Tsuen Wan]], respectively.<ref name="chaos"/>