140
Roads
COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
Despite rising costs and shortage of supplies of some basic materials following the oil crisis, the highways construction programme progressed as scheduled. A total of $235.7 million was spent on construction of major highway projects and $40.8 million on improvements and maintenance during the year.
The total length of roads in Hong Kong maintained by the government at the end of 1974 was 651.7 miles, of which 210 miles are on Hong Kong Island, 192.98 miles in Kowloon and 248.72 miles in the New Territories. On Hong Kong Island, the major road widening schemes at Queensway, Shek Pai Wan Road and Wong Chuk Hang Road highlighted the intensive effort made by the government to improve existing road capacities to meet the increasing traffic demands. Construction of new roads was also carried out in Chai Wan, Central, Wan Chai Reclamation, Shau Kei Wan, Wong Chuk Hang and the Jardines' Lookout area. Investigations were carried out by consulting engineers on possible alternative alignments for the Hong Kong Island Eastern Corridor from Causeway Bay to Shau Kei Wan, and for a proposed bridge link across the Lei Yue Mun straits. The Canal Road flyover extension, which will provide the northern connections for the proposed road tunnel between Happy Valley and Aberdeen, proceeded to the design stage.
In Kowloon, high priority was given to the planning and construction of relief routes for traffic diversion during the construction of the mass transit railway. Among these, Tong Mi Road extension, Jordan Road intersection and the ferry concourse Stage I and Sai Yee Street link road were completed, while good progress was main- tained on the elevated road from Gascoigne Road to Tong Mi Road, Canton Road duplication, Prince Edward Road-Lai Chi Kok Road flyover and the major inter- changes at Waterloo Road-Argyle Street and Waterloo Road-Prince Edward Road- Boundary Street.
Works continued on construction of the primary distributor route along the Kowloon Foothills. The Lion Rock interchange, the Piper's Hill interchange and Lung Cheung Road extension Stage II from Sha Tin Pass Road to Hammer Hill Road were completed and works at the Tai Woh Ping, Nam Cheong and Fung Mo and Choi Hung interchanges were well advanced. Road connections to the eastern and western portals of the airport tunnel road were being designed. Other road projects substantially completed included Lai Chi Kok Beach Road, Tai Yip Street and the grade separated access to the airport.
In the New Territories, the completion of the Tsing Yi Bridge marked the begin- ning of a new era for the development of Tsing Yi Island. The Stage I works on Tuen Mun Road, to provide a 91⁄2 mile dual three-lane carriageway between Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun, started in October. Construction of this high-capacity link is essential for future development in Tuen Mun. Improvement of the second carriageway of Castle Peak Road (between Tuen Mun and Ping Shan), together with work on nearby feeder roads to Lam Tei, Shap Pat Heung, and between Tin Sam and Ha Heung, were completed. Various works were undertaken in development areas in Kwai Chung and Lai Chi Kok Terrace Road. Three footbridges over Kwai Chung Road and a car park at Ting Kau were also completed. Plans for widening the approaches