▁type . ▁The ▁bridge ▁has ▁a ▁main ▁span ▁of ▁ ▁and ▁a ▁height ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁span ▁is ▁the ▁longest ▁of ▁all ▁brid ges ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁carrying ▁rail ▁traffic . ▁ ▁The ▁ ▁bridge ▁deck ▁car ries ▁six ▁lan es ▁of ▁autom obile ▁traffic , ▁with ▁three ▁lan es ▁in ▁each ▁direction . ▁The ▁lower ▁level ▁contains ▁two ▁rail ▁tracks ▁and ▁two ▁shelter ed ▁carriage ways ▁used ▁for ▁maintenance ▁access ▁and ▁traffic ▁lan es ▁when ▁particularly ▁severe ▁ty ph o ons ▁strike ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁and ▁the ▁bridge ▁deck ▁is ▁closed ▁to ▁traffic . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁T sing ▁Ma ▁Bridge ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁prominent ▁element ▁of ▁the ▁L ant au ▁Link , ▁an ▁infrastr ucture ▁project ▁built ▁to ▁connect ▁L ant au , ▁Hong ▁Kong ' s ▁largest ▁island , ▁to ▁the ▁urban ised ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁territory . ▁Until ▁this ▁link ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁L ant au ▁Island ▁could ▁only ▁be ▁accessed ▁by ▁water , ▁and ▁was ▁completely ▁rural . ▁The ▁L ant au ▁Link ▁was ▁built ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Airport ▁Core ▁Program me , ▁which ▁ultimately ▁served ▁to ▁provide ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁with ▁a ▁brand ▁new ▁air port ▁at ▁Che k ▁Lap ▁K ok ▁( off ▁the ▁north ▁coast ▁of ▁L ant au ) ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁older , ▁con g ested ▁K ai ▁Tak ▁Airport . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁N umer ous ▁cons ort ia ▁bid ▁on ▁the ▁contract ▁to ▁construct ▁the ▁bridge . ▁Hy und ai ▁made ▁the ▁lowest