Photo taken on Oct 27, 2009, shows Nan'ao cross-sea bridge is under construction in Shantou, Guangdong province. [Photo/CFP]

A mega bridge linking Nan'ao Island with the coastal city of Shantou, Guangdong province, is scheduled to open in October, the local government said.

The 11.08-kilometer bridge spans the South China Sea and is designed to allow traffic to travel at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Construction of the bridge is part of the local authority's efforts to boost its economy by accelerating transportation development.

Shantou has so far invested 10.34 billion yuan ($1.67 billion) in upgrading its transport network this year, according to Zheng Renhao, mayor of Shantou.

Construction has started on three expressways linking Shantou with Zhanjiang, Huizhou and Jieyang to help develop better access to the prosperous Pearl River Delta.

Work will start in October on building a connecting line to the Xiamen-Shenzhen Railway to provide a high-speed rail link to Shantou.