Snapped cable on cross-border Shenzhen Bay Bridge results in closure of two lanes but Hong Kong’s highways chief says there are no structural safety issues
- Highways chief Jimmy Chan called the incident ‘unusual’ and said the department would take three weeks to replace broken cable
- Preliminary findings showed the cable had broken due to metal components rusting
Part of the Hong Kong side of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge will be closed to traffic for at least three weeks as emergency repairs are being undertaken after a steel cable snapped, even as authorities stressed the cross-border connection remained safe.
As a safety precaution, the Highways Department would also check all bridges with a similar design across the city, Director of Highways Jimmy Chan Pai-ming said on Saturday evening.
Lawmakers and experts raised concerns about the standard of maintenance at the Shenzhen Bay Bridge, with a veteran engineer saying the incident set off alarm bells.
Chan, describing the broken cable as an “unusual” occurrence that was discovered during routine maintenance checks, sought to reassure motorists about the structural safety of the bridge.