Deck closure of Stonecutters Bridge marks near completion of Route 8

The Stonecutters Bridge is the second-longest span cable-stayed bridge in the world. For more information, see the bridge's Web site.

Officiating at the Stonecutters Bridge deck closure ceremony on April 7, Hong Kong Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng said the entire Route 8 project is approaching completion. Stonecutters Bridge — a major component of Route 8 — will play an important role in coping with growing traffic among the Northeast New Territories, Kowloon and Western Hong Kong. 

With a span of 0.63 miles, the bridge is the second-longest span cable-stayed bridge in the world. It has one of the world’s highest clearances, 241 feet, enabling the passage of the largest container vessels to the Kwai Chung Container Terminal.

“As the bridge is located next to the Kwai Chung Container Terminal, it will support the logistics industry,” Ms. Cheng said.

Route 8 already has helped relieve congestion in such major tunnels as Lion Rock and Tate’s Cairn, as well as on the roads near Kwai Chung. It will offer a faster and more convenient link to Hong Kong International Airport.

The bridge demonstrates state-of-the-art building techniques. During the design stage, the Highways Department conducted in-depth research on the aerodynamic performance of the bridge. Many international bridge experts highly commended the scale and completeness of the wind tunnel tests.

Hong Kong Director of Highways Wai Chi-sing said the bridge’s streamlined deck design greatly improves its wind resistance. To mitigate the stay-cable vibration induced by rain and wind, the cable surfaces are stamped with dimples -- the first of their kind in Hong Kong.

High-strength, parallel-steel wired cables are used as stay cables for the bridge. With smaller cross-sections than conventional stay cables, they reduce wind loads.

“The bridge deck is made from very high-strength steel so as to reduce bridge-deck thickness and weight,” Mr. Wai said. “This eventually brings about savings in foundation, materials and budget. The steel-concrete composite structure design of the tower also enhances its stability and gives the bridge a unique and pleasant appearance.”

Regarding maintenance, the wind and structural health-monitoring system installed on the bridge provides engineers with thorough diagnostics. Such a system is cutting-edge in bridge engineering. In addition, maintenance accesses at strategic locations and the maintenance shuttle inside the bridge deck allow barrier-free inspections and servicing.