WORK on the $7.14 billion Tsing Ma bridge reaches an important milestone this week when the contractors, Anglo-Japanese Construction (AJC), complete aerial spinning of the two main suspension cables.
The bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge carrying both road and rail traffic, is part of the fixed crossing between Lantau Island and Tsing Yi.
The 2.2 kilometres long cables are being formed using 33,400 strands of galvanised wire, equivalent to 160,000 kilometres and enough to circle the Earth four times.
When aerial spinning is completed, the wire will be compacted, wrapped and painted to create the 1.1 metre diameter cables.
Smaller vertical cables will then be hung from each main cable ready for the contractors to start hoisting the bridge deck sections into position from July.
The Highways Department's Lantau fixed crossing project director Lau Ching-kwong said AJC was ahead of programme.