CHINA: The 3·2 km Barra Extension of the Macau Light Rapid Transit automated metro has opened, using a guideway installed in a dedicated lane on the 2·2 km Sai Van cable-stayed bridge to connect the 9·3 km Taipa Line to the Macau Peninsula.
The extension opened on December 8 is designed to provided more convenient travel options between resort areas and the city centre to help alleviate traffic congestion.
The Taipa Line uses Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Automated Guideway Transit rubber-tyre driverless light metro technology, supplied under railway systems contracts awarded by the Macau Special Administrative Region’s public works bureau.
Services are operated by MTR Operações Ferroviárias. Crossing the bridge from Oceano to Barra counts as two stations for the purpose of calculating fares.
The network is currently being extended by a consortium of MHI and local civil works contractors Top Builders Macau and Hou Chun Construction & Engineering Co. It is building the 1·6 km two station Seac Pai Van branch, and a 2·2 km two-station extension from Lotus Bridge under the Shizimen canal to Hengqin in mainland China.
