[Hong Kong’s First " Horizontal Bridge Rotation Construction " Process Revealed!]

The vehicular bridge of the Fanling Bypass (Eastern Section), which spans across the MTR East Rail Line, had completed its rotation procedure in the early hours on 29 September!

A section of the vehicular bridge of about 140 meters long and weigh over 7,000 tons (equivalent to the weight of 470 double-decker buses), was built beside the Fanling Highway (near Wo Hop Shek). The construction team faced multiple constraints that made traditional bridge-building methods highly challenging:
- Spanning across the East Rail Line tracks
-  Crossing the Dongjiang water supply pipeline
- Navigating underground high-voltage cables

To address these issues, the construction team adopted Horizontal Bridge Rotation Method, which is the first bridge rotation operation conducted over heavy rail in Hong Kong. The bridge was first constructed next to the East Rail Line tracks. The bridge was then horizontally rotated within one night during the non-traffic hours of the railway, allowing the structure to instantly span across the tracks. This method not only saved three months of construction time but also significantly reduced construction risks and minimized the impact on the railway.

Through this construction, the project team showcased their efforts to adopt innovative construction techniques, overcoming the difficulties of working in Hong Kong's densely packed urban environment. This success has provided valuable experience for future infrastructure projects that might adopt similar methods.

The project was led by the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), with AECOM as the consultant, CRCC – Paul Y. Joint Venture (CRCC-PY JV) as the contractor and full support from the MTR Corporation. 

The Fanling Bypass (Eastern Section) project aims to enhance the transport network of the Fanling North New Development Area which will support the development of the Northern Metropolis. Commenced in March 2020, the project is now in its final stages, with the completion expected in 2025.