Building Across...

Yesterday while describing how buildings are built here in China, I also mentioned that Xiamen is doing a lot of work on their infrastructure.

The island is currently connected to the mainland via two bridges, and since the local government kicked all manufacturing off of the island over to the mainland a few years ago, the morning commute has become quite congested. To alleviate these traffic issues they are building two new bridges and a tunnel to connect them to the mainland.

About a month ago they started construction on the main road that bisects the island. The road (下禾路) runs from the coast a block away from us up and past the train station to the large mall and the connects to the road connection to the mainland. What they are doing is building a raised section in the middle of the street. I've heard that it is for a train, or for the buses, or just additional traffic lanes, but whatever it is it'll definitely help to alleviate some of the congestion.

This pictures shows the construction equipment that they use to dig the holes for the supports. There must be a hundred of these all along the road, and all of the workers sleep in small lean-to's that are set up right next to the machines they work at. Every morning on the shuttle I can see people getting up, brushing their teeth, getting dressed, eating, all your standard morning activities save for the shower.

Within the first month they already have at least 6 of the concrete supports completely poured, the speed that this this is done is amazing to me. I don't really know how long this should take, but compared to the absolute snails pace that everything else works at, I'm shocked to see how fast this is done.

The changes undergoing this city are amazing, and although in some ways we think it sad to watch the old narrow streets and houses torn down to build wide streets, hi-rise condos, and shopping malls, we realize that it is just the growing pains that a booming economy goes through, and we compare it to all the beauty that was demolished in the states in the name of progress.....