One day in coming years it will be possible to pack the family in the car in Hong Kong and drive off across the Pearl River estuary to Hainan Island or even Vietnam, stopping for a dip in the Zhongshan springs.
Before that shining moment, a great many hurdles have to be crossed. And even before the obvious engineering, logistical and financial barriers are surmounted, the bureaucratic difficulties must be tackled.
In the short term at least, these cannot be under-estimated. A bridge may symbolically link Hong Kong with the rest of the Pearl River Delta. Yet in its own way it highlights the difficulties and suspicions still clouding the fledgling relationship as it evolves after a turbulent history.
Each passing week seems to carry fresh signs of concern in Guangdong. The leadership in Beijing is reportedly keen, yet is not quite ready to set timetables, apparently aware of some tough provincial decisions ahead.
In the latest sign, a prominent Guangdong academic and government adviser has warned that Hong Kong seems to be pushing ahead too quickly. The remarks of Zhongshan University's Zheng Tianxiang appear to suggest a sense on the mainland that Hong Kong is looking a little desperate after four years of deflation, a slump caused in part by its increased interaction with its much cheaper neighbour. 'The bridge will help Hong Kong, but it won't solve all of its problems,' he said.
He is undoubtedly right. And if his views are widespread, then it means Hong Kong has to re-double efforts to ease suspicions to bring the project to fruition by providing planning and financial leadership.