8.
HEAVY RAIL MASS TRANSIT SERVICE TO WESTERN NEW TERRITORIES IN LIEU OF ROUTE X
The estimated cost of the single purpose Route X costs HK$14.000 Billion. It involves the building of a TSING YI - TING KAU BRIDGE and a 4,000m tunnel underneath Tai Mo Shan. A labyrinth of tunnels and complicated cloverleaf intersections were also required on the hilly Tsing Yi Island-- what a complicated and expensive way to go!
Reaping the benefit of comprehensive planning, a cheaper and much more cost effective solution is readily available. Since the ROAD + RAIL BRIDGE has already been extended to Sham Tseng, why not go another 14kms and the ROAD + RAIL BRIDGE will reach the heart of Tuen Mun. The civil engineering cost of this 14km section, at HK$250M a km, is only 3.500 Billion which is substantially below the Route X estimate. This route can be extended all the way to Sheung Shui to join up with KCR, so that the rail loop service can benefit communities of Tuen Mun, Tin Shui Wai, Yuen Long, Fair View Park and little settlements in between. Surely with the threat of rising oil prices, building a new TUEN MUN MTR for less than the road only price of ROUTE X is the preferred solution for Hong Kong. (see Plan No. 4)
9.
DREDGE A ACCESS TO
DEEP
LANTAU
M
WATER PORT
CHANNEL TO GIVE
AREA
BETTER
Since the TSING YI - MA WAN gap is narrow, it cannot accommodate too much shipping traffic. If a 15km channel is dredged between FAN LAU at western end of LANTAU to URMSTON ROAD, it will eliminate this problem and render the northern side of Lantau and the Tuen Mun -Sham Tseng stretch with more berths. Surely China will agree to that because it is also beneficially to the Shek-Kou port development, and Hong Kong and China can work out a cost-sharing-maintenance agreement
The dredged channel will open up Lantau Harbour. Navigational hazards around the MA WAN bend can be eleminated. A conventional RAIL + ROAD bridge can later be added between LANTAU and TAI LAM KOK which will cut the distance between Tuen Mun - Hong Kong to 26km, well within communting distance. (see Plan No. 4)
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