World's longest sea-crossing bridge which stretches 34 MILES and cost £14billion to build will open this week in China
世界上最长的跨海大桥将于本周开通，耗资140亿英镑，全长34英里
The world's longest sea-crossing bridge connecting Hong Kong and Macau to Zhuhai, south-east China is set to finally open this week, nine years after construction began.
世界上最长的跨海大桥，连接香港、澳门和珠海三地，建设历时9年，将于本周正式开通。
The much anticipated Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge will open to traffic on Wednesday 9am local time.
备受期待的港珠澳大桥将于当地时间周三上午9点通车。
Construction started in 2009 on the massive crossing, which includes a snaking road bridge and underwater tunnel, linking Hong Kong's Lantau island to the southern mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai and the gambling enclave of Macau, across the waters of the Pearl River Estuary.
这座横跨珠江口水域的大型跨海大桥于2009年开工建设，其中包括一条蜿蜒的公路桥和海底隧道，将香港的大屿山岛、珠海和澳门连接起来。
Stretching across 55 kilometres (34 miles), it is 14 miles longer than the width of the English Channel from Dover in the United Kingdom to Calais in France.
大桥绵延55公里(34英里)，比横跨英国多佛和法国加来的英吉利海峡还宽14英里。
The structure is the world's longest sea crossing and the sixth longest bridge on earth. Officials expect the bridge to be in use for 120 years and say it will boost businesses by cutting travel time by 60 per cent.
这座大桥是世界上最长的跨海大桥，也是地球上第六长大桥。相关官员预计大桥使用寿命可达120年，将把出行时间缩短60%，从而促进经济发展。
More importantly, it is a key component in China's plan for a Greater Bay Area covering 56,500 square kilometres (21,800 square miles) across 11 cities in south China.
更重要的是，这是粤港澳大湾区计划的一个关键组成部分，大湾区面积达5.65万平方公里(合2.18万平方英里)，覆盖南方11个城市。
It consists of a 22.9 kilometre oversea bridge and a 6.7 kilometre undersea tunnel connected by two artificial islands.
大桥由一座22.9公里的跨海大桥和一条6.7公里长连接两个人工岛的海底隧道组成。
A total of 420,000 tons of steel was used in the project, equivalent to 60 times the steel used to build the Eiffel Tower, according to inhua.
据新华社报道，大桥总共使用了42万吨钢材，可修建近60座艾菲尔铁塔。
Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan said travelling time between Zhuhai and Hong Kong International Airport would be shortened to about 45 minutes from four hours.
香港运输及房屋局局长陈帆表示，从珠海到香港国际机场的旅行时间将由4小时缩短至45分钟。
'It is envisaged that the collaboration between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in terms of trade, finance, logistics and tourism will be strengthened,' he said at a press briefing on Friday.
他在上周五的新闻发布会上表示，预计粤港澳在贸易、金融、物流和旅游等领域的合作将得到加强。
However, the mega project has had its fair share of controversy. The bridge's construction has been dogged by delays, budget overruns, corruption prosecutions and the deaths of construction workers.
然而，这个大型项目也有过不少争议。大桥的建设一直受到拖延、预算超支、腐败指控和建筑工人死亡的困扰。
The total price tag for the project, which includes artificial islands, linked roads and new border-crossing facilities, is unclear but some estimates run to over 130 billion yuan (£14 billion), leading critics to slam it as a costly white elephant.
大桥的总造价，含人工岛屿、道路和新过境设施，估计超过1300亿元人民币(合140亿英镑)，导致批评人士将其抨击为“华而不实”之物。
Seven workers have died and 129 have been injured since construction began. Most of them involved accidents where they slipped or fell from a high point.
自开工以来，已有7名工人死亡，129人受伤，其中大多数为高空坠落。
Supporters of the bridge promote it as an engineering marvel, while others see it as a costly political project designed to further integrate Hong Kong into the mainland at a time when Beiing is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city.
这座大桥的支持者将其宣传为一个工程奇迹，而其他人则认为，在北京收紧对这座半自治城市（香港）的控制之际，这座桥是一个耗资巨大的政治项目，旨在进一步促进香港融入内地。
英国每日邮报读者评论：
译文来源：三泰虎 http://www.santaihu.com/46356.html 译者：Jessica.Wu
Snottgrass, Austin, United States, 4 hours ago
French and Superb, Bordeaux, France, 6 hours ago
We have 15 like those in France and people don't care.
法国有15座这样的大桥，但人们对此并不在意。
HKer, Hong Kong, China, 6 hours ago
As a rule, there are many sour grapes. China is busy in building and construction, Brits are busy in dealing with Brext, Yanks are busy dealing with trade wars and fiscal deficits.
又有很多酸葡萄。忙于建设，英国忙于脱欧，美国佬忙于应对贸易战和财政赤字。
Think and Ink, All over, United States, 9 hours ago
Made in china, No thank you !
制造，呵呵!
cakeeater, croydon, United Kingdom, 11 hours ago
Amazing feat of engineering
惊人的工程
TangoSierra, Duesseldorf, Germany, 12 hours ago
Wait until the first taifun gits that bridge.
等到台风袭击这座大桥再说