Shanghai, China’s commercial capital, is planning three new road tunnels under the Huangpu River as part of RMB8bn ($1bn) transport plan that also includes a new road bridge.
Some companies have already expressed interest in developing the tunnels, but city officials gave no details.
According to the transport blueprint, one tunnel would be built south of the existing Yanan Road tunnel, another is planned north-east of the Pudong (east city) financial district, while the third would be constructed near the confluence of the Huangpu and Yangtze rivers. The new bridge would be south of Pudong.
A spokesman for the city council’s bridge construction department said the four links “should be completed in the next five years”, an ambitious target.
The links are likely to be built under hybrid build-own-operate concessions using a mix of state funds, commercial loans and investment finance that could include a public share offering.
The four new links would join Shanghai’s current five tunnels and bridges.
News of the investment comes as a consortium led by Australia’s Millennium Design Group won an international design competition in Shanghai for a pedestrian tunnel under the Huangpu.
Called the Shanghai-Pujiang Tourist Tunnel Entertainment Project, the 647m long, 7m diameter tunnel will include a shuttle for people who do not want to walk. The winning consortium includes SJPH Design Inc, Caribener Communication, Rhythm Media and Dakota Advertising.
