Haiyan Bridge coming down, but not without say-so

The nostalgic but dangerous Haiyan Bridge from Mingting Park Archway on Mid-Lovers Avenue to Yeli Island is about to be demolished and replaced. Public opinions, however, are being accepted by the Zhuhai Transportation Bureau.

Demolition will start where the archway faces Haiyan Road, which runs adjacent to Yale Plaza in Wanzaisha of downtown Xiangzhou. The bridge itself is 280 m (918) long and 14 m (50 ft) wide and extends 371 m (1,216 ft) with approaches.

The temporary steel bridge north of it already is being dismantled. Meanwhile, viewing platforms are being constructed on the bridge's Lovers Avenue side and a landscape project is under way on Yeli Island. Those sites will be occupied temporarily for bridge work, and the landscaping will be part of the new bridge project.

The bureau will take public sentiment under full consideration. Contact: zhjt.gov.cn (Chinese only), Zhuhai Transportation Bureau, Zhuhai, Xiangzhou, 62 West Meihua Road, 519003; telephone 86 (0756) 2263648, fax 86 (0756) 2263533.

Haiyan Bridge and Mingting Park Archway [File Photo]

Since 1995, the bridge was the only pedestrian and light-vehicle gateway to the sylvan island, its mountain springs, and walking and hiking paths. Then, after tests showed it no longer met load standards, it was closed to motor vehicles in September 2014. A temporary one-lane steel bridge carried pedestrians, cars, trucks, and buses until Sept 30, 2016 when the Xinyue (New Moon) Bridge opened.

The New Moon Bridge faces Xianlie Road. It was constructed primarily to serve the modern Zhuhai Opera House complex and ancient-boat landmark Deyuefang Restaurant. The new Haiyan Bridge connecting to Beili Road on the island will serve only pedestrians and buses. It can function as the emergency evacuation channel for the island, restaurant, and opera house, if necessary.  

Yeli Island and Central Lovers Avenue are important parts of Xianglu Bay's coastal environmental regulatory project. Yeli is to become an island paradise featuring Zhuhai Opera House, seafront eco-square, yacht service center, and island-circulating cycling lane. 

Bridge in its heyday with Yeli Island and Deyuefang Restaurant [Photo courtesy nanfangplus]