to Wanchai.
From this point the Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) Link proceeds as a dual expressway (2 lanes eastbound and 3 lanes near Victoria Park. Partial westbound), to the existing IEC access with the local street network would be provided at Harbour Road, Fleming Road and Tonnochy Road. A direct access ramp would also be provided to allow southbound tunnel traffic to proceed westbound on the Bypass. Taken together these projects would link the IEC and Route 7 to provide a continuous expressway along the north shore of Hong Kong Island. The Bypass would allow
east-west traffic to avoid tunnel-related queues and congestion.
6.6.73 The Bypass is expected to carry 112,000 pcus per day in 2001 while the IEC Link is expected to carry 86,000 pcus per day and operate at 90% of capacity westbound. Parallel roads in Central, Wanchai and Causeway Bay
Bay are expected to carry substantially fewer vehicles relative to the Committed Network situation. This results from both relief by the Bypass and diversions out of the area to the Western Harbour Crossing. All streets east of Cotton Tree Drive are expected to operate within capacity within the morning peak except for
for a few scattered links operating at
capacity.
6.6.74
6.6.75
It is estimated that if both projects were in place in 1996, they would carry about 70% of the 2001 volume with the Western Harbour Crossing in place, or 65,000 to 77,000 pcus per day. Traffic operations in Wanchai and Causeway Bay would be satisfactory in the morning peak in these circumstances. These volumes refer to the situation with all projects in place. It is estimated that deleting the Western Harbour Crossing would increase volume on the Bypass by 24%. Deletion of Route 7 would have a nearly negligible effect, increasing volume on the Bypass by only 2%.
The WHC would divert tunnel-related traffic away from the area, resulting in satisfactory operations through the tunnel and a great reduction
reduction in tailback queues. But it would make no improvement in east-west capacity and congestion would occur on
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