COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
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Work proceeded on the grade-separated intersection at Castle Peak Road and Texaco Road; the superstructure for the first stage of Tsuen Wan Bypass, linking Kwai Chung Road and Texaco Road; Tai Wo Tsuen interchange on Castle Peak Road; the improve- ment of Clear Water Bay Road from Hiram's Highway to Pik Uk and from Pik Uk to the Clear Water Bay Apartments; and improvements to South Lantau Road from Shui Hau to Shek Pik. Work to complete the Sham Tseng viaduct and the provision of a second carriageway for Tuen Mun Road between Tsuen Wan and Sham Tseng also commenced. New projects included the improvement of another section of Clear Water Bay Road between Anderson Road and the Clear Water Bay Apartments; the widening of Tai Lam Chung access road, and the realignment of Shing Mun Road adjoining the Lei Muk Shue secondary school site. Planning and detailed design work continued for the New Territories Trunk Road and the New Territories Circular Road System from Sha Tin, via Tai Po to Yuen Long.
During 1979, consultants appointed by the government studied alternative forms and alignments for the Lantau fixed crossing. They recommended that three bridges should link the outlying island of Lantau to Tsuen Wan New Town on the mainland of the New Territories, via the islands of Tsing Yi and Ma Wan.
Traffic management techniques and computerised surveillance and control methods con- tinued to facilitate the traffic flow on Hong Kong's roads in 1979. A comprehensive traffic surveillance and control study of major routes was carried out to assist in road planning. By the end of the year, there were 399 sets of traffic signals operating in Hong Kong, of which 114 sets were monitored by computerised control systems. A total of 2,202 new street lamps were installed.
Road Tunnels
There are two twin-tube road tunnels operating in Hong Kong. The Cross Harbour Tunnel provides four traffic lanes in two immersed tubes between the north shore of Hong Kong Island and Hung Hom in Kowloon. The government has a 25 per cent interest in this tunnel which opened in August, 1972, and is operated by the Cross Harbour Tunnel Company Limited. An eight category toll charge, ranging from $2 to $20, is levied on vehicles using the tunnel. In 1979, $194.4 million in revenue was collected from a total of 32.1 million vehicles.
The Lion Rock Tunnel links Kowloon with Sha Tin New Town and other areas of the north-eastern New Territories. Managed by the Transport Department, the tunnel began operating in November, 1967, as a single tube facility; following completion of a second tube and refurbishment of the original tube, it became fully operational as a twin-tube tunnel in October, 1978. The volume of traffic using the tunnel has steadily increased from a daily average of just over 5,000 vehicles in 1968 to 25,689 in 1979. The three category toll charge ($1, $1.50 and $2) produced $11.5 million from a total of 9.38 million vehicles in 1979. Two other twin-tube road tunnels are being built in Hong Kong. The Airport Tunnel, which passes under the runway of Hong Kong International Airport, Kai Tak, will form part of a through route connecting the Cross Harbour Tunnel at Hung Hom with the airport and the industrial area of Kwun Tong. It will be toll free.
Construction of the Aberdeen Tunnel, through Mount Nicholson, was proceeding in 1979. The Aberdeen Tunnel will link Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong Island with Happy Valley on the north side and then, at an elevated level via the Canal Road flyover extension, connect with the Cross Harbour Tunnel.