| Ap Lei Chau Bridge | |
| Native Name: | 鴨脷洲大橋 |
| Native Name Lang: | zh-Hant |
| Carries: | Vehicles, pedestrians |
| Crosses: | Aberdeen Channel |
| Locale: | Ap Lei Chau and Aberdeen, Hong Kong |
| Design: | Box girder bridge |
| Length: | 230m (760feet) |
| Clearance Below: | 14m (46feet) |
| Begin: | (first bridge) |
| Open: | (first bridge) (duplicate bridge) |
| Toll: | Free of charge |
| Coordinates: | 22.2459°N 114.1597°W |
Ap Lei Chau Bridge is a highway bridge in Hong Kong connecting the island of Ap Lei Chau (Aberdeen Island) to the community of Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island.
Started in April 1977 and completed in 1980, the first bridge had one lane of traffic in each direction. It is a double-cantilever, prestressed-concrete bridge, with a main span, two side spans, and associated ramps. Maunsell & Partners were the bridge consultants.[1]
Peter Hines was the resident engineer of the bridge. During the construction, he realised that the pre-stressed cantilevers of the bridge would not be able to meet in the centre, which needed an "emergency raise".[2]
Construction of the twin Second Ap Lei Chau Bridge on the north side of the first bridge was started in May 1991 and completed in July 1994 to provide two traffic lanes in each direction.[3] [4] Both sides of the bridge have pavements for pedestrian use.
Legislators approved funding for the Second Ap Lei Chau Bridge on 1 May 1991.[5] It opened on 28 July 1994.[6] The first person to drive across it was Kwong Hon-sang, Director of Highways, officiating at the opening ceremony.[6]
The two bridges are Ap Lei Chau's only road links with Hong Kong Island. There is a railway bridge, the Aberdeen Channel Bridge, opened on 28 December 2016 as part of the MTR's South Island line.