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COMMUNICATIONS
registration coupled with improved economic and social conditions within the Colony have necessitated a large road building and im- provement programme to meet ever increasing traffic demands. A total of $27.5 million was spent on major road projects and $15.2 million on road improvements and maintenance during the year.
On Hong Kong Island a 960-foot flyover along Harcourt Road was completed. This is the first stage of an improvement scheme linking the central district and mid-levels, and is part of a scheme to relieve congestion in the eastern approaches to the city. A start was made on the second stage comprising a flyover across Queen's Road East. The reconstruction of Connaught Road serving the main cargo-handling area in the western half of the city was completed.
In Kowloon the final stage in the reconstruction of Nathan Road was started. This is the most congested section of this heavily used dual carriageway and extensive diversions and traffic control measures were necessary. Progress was maintained on a new link road between Tai Po Road and Castle Peak Road, near Lai Chi Kok Hospital. It is scheduled for completion in 1966 and should result in marked reduction in congestion in North Kowloon.
Construction of a flyover across the Argyle Street-Waterloo Road junction continued on schedule. This forms part of the main traffic route from Tsim Sha Tsui to the Lion Rock tunnel, which should be completed in 1966. The connecting link to Sha Tin on the other side of the Lion Rock tunnel was also under construction. Other roadworks in the New Territories were concentrated mainly in the areas of the satellite towns of Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Yuen Long, and were planned to meet the requirements of building development.
The application of traffic management techniques continued in an effort to make the best use of the existing road network. As the daily traffic load grows, this aspect becomes of increasing importance. The use of traffic lights to improve traffic operation on intersections has increased greatly during the past few years and in 1965 the first set of linked traffic signals were installed in Queen's Road and Chater Road.
The planning of roads in Kowloon and Hong Kong to accom- modate the traffic generated by the proposed cross-harbour tunnel was one of the major items in hand during the year. The roads