World's longest sea bridge draws safety concerns

Beijing: Questions have been raised over the safety of the world's longest sea bridge that connects China's eastern Qingdao city with Huangdao Island, a media report said on Tuesday.

There are fears that in the rush to complete the construction ahead of its formal opening on June 30, some work on the bridge was left incomplete.

Several gaps were found in the crash barriers on the 42.5 kilometer Jiaozhou Bay Bridge. Bolts inserted to fasten the barriers were found to be loose or uncovered, the Shanghai Daily reported.

The bridge has seen nearly 18,000 cars crossing it daily since its opening.

The $2.3 billion Bridge, built to withstand earthquakes and typhoons, was expected to cut travel time between the two destinations by about 40 minutes.

The Shandong High-speed Group Co, which funded the project, said some barriers and bolts were removed to adjust wiring, which is a normal practice.

Workers toiled for four-and-a-half-years to build the bridge, which took the world's longest title from the 38.35 kilometer-long Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in the United States.