The 55 km bridge was originally due to open in 2016, but delays pushed that to this year. It is a key element of China's plan for a Greater Bay Area covering 56,500 square km across southern China, and encompassing 11 cities that are home to a combined 68 million people. Proponents of the idea say the bridge will cut journey times between the cities from three hours to 30 minutes, which they say will enable commuters and tourists to easily move around the region.
