Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Road tunnel under Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong
The Cross-Harbour Tunnel is a road passage beneath Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, linking the island to Kowloon across 1,800 meters (1.1 miles) of water. The structure consists of two steel tubes, each carrying two lanes of traffic that serve more than 116,000 vehicles every day.
Construction began in the late 1960s when ferry services could no longer handle growing traffic between the island and mainland. The passage opened to vehicles in August 1972, becoming the first fixed link across Victoria Harbour.
Local residents still call it the 'Red Tunnel' because of its entrance color, distinguishing it from the two later harbor crossings. Many Hongkongers remember when crossing the harbor meant taking a Star Ferry, and this passage changed family routines across generations.
The passage takes just a few minutes to cross, though congestion builds during morning and evening rush hours. The HKeToll electronic payment system speeds up entry, with fees varying depending on time of day.
The tubes were prefabricated in England, then shipped by sea to Hong Kong and lowered onto the harbor floor. Each segment weighed over 10,000 tons and had to be positioned with precision measured in centimeters.
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