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TRANSPORT
The first two stages, from Gascoigne Road, near the Cross Harbour Tunnel, to Sham Shui Po were finished some time ago. The final stage, an elevated carriageway above Ferry Street, will be built when the traffic situation warrants it. Elsewhere in Kowloon, Route 1 is being improved by the reconstruction of the Princess Margaret Road Flyover. The present flyover, which was built in 1966, before the build up of population in the New Territories, has only three lanes for two way traffic. The new flyover, which will cost about $60 million and be complete in mid-1989, will provide two lanes in each direction, separated by a central divider.
In the New Territories, the remaining stages of the New Territories Circular Road, between Au Tau and Fanling, are under construction and should be completed by 1991. The future principal road link with China is being constructed at Lok Ma Chau, and is due for completion in 1988. In July, work started on a major flyover to replace the present at-grade junction at Lam Kam Road.
Elsewhere in the New Territories, construction of the main section of the new trunk road from Sha Tin to Tsuen Wan (Route 5) began in April. This will be the first direct road link between Tsuen Wan and the eastern side of the New Territories, and will replace the present circuitous and heavily used routes via the Lion Rock Tunnel and Tai Po Road. The main section will be a 3.5 kilometres long dual two-lane carriageway, of which 2.5 kilometres will be in tunnels under Smugglers Ridge and Needle Hill. The toll plaza and administration building will be at the Tsuen Wan entrance to the tunnel. The cost of the whole route will be about $1 billion. When it is completed in late 1989, travelling time between Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan will be reduced from the present 25 minutes to about 10 minutes.
Work started during the year on two other tunnels which will form part of the strategic road network, the Eastern Harbour Crossing and a tunnel from Junk Bay new town, and planning began on a further link between Sha Tin and the urban area, by way of a road tunnel under Tate's Cairn.
Other Road Projects
A major project is being undertaken to provide grade-separated vehicular and pedestrian access to the Wan Chai Reclamation Area, where intensive commercial and other development is going on. The work will cost about $120 million and will be completed by the end of 1987. Other major projects are the improvement of Tai Po Road, and of Lam Kam, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok roads, all in the New Territories.
Tunnels
Due to the hilly terrain and the harbour, road tunnels are an important part of Hong Kong's road network. Of the four existing tunnels, the Lion Rock, Aberdeen and Airport tunnels are managed by the Transport Department, and the Cross Harbour Tunnel is owned and operated by the Cross Harbour Tunnel Company Limited.
Lion Rock Tunnel links Kowloon to Sha Tin and the north-eastern New Territories. It opened in 1967 with a single tube, and in 1978 a second tube was added. The average daily traffic is 79 000 vehicles. Aberdeen Tunnel, opened in 1982, links the north and south sides of Hong Kong Island. The average daily traffic is 37 000 vehicles. The toll for both tunnels is $3 for all vehicles.
The toll-free Airport Tunnel provides direct road access from the central area of Kowloon to Hong Kong International Airport, and also crosses beneath the airport runway to Kwun Tong. Since the tunnel opened in June 1982, the volume of traffic using it has been increasing steadily and now averages about 55 000 vehicles per day.