TRANSPORT
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the New Territories Circular Road at a grade-separated interchange, was completed in December 1989.
A Tuen Mun to Yuen Long Eastern Corridor has been planned in the north-western New Territories, to provide an eastern continuation of Route 2. This corridor is a two- way trunk road along the eastern side of Castle Peak Road to connect with the proposed Yuen Long Southern Bypass. Construction commenced in May 1990 for completion in mid-1993.
Environmental Impact of Road Construction
The environmental impact of new road projects is carefully appraised at the planning stage by the Highways Department. Where practical, measures such as landscaping works, artificial contouring of surrounding hillsides and installation of noise barriers are con- sidered. Pre-cast decorative concrete panels applied to the retaining wall of the Gascoigne Road Flyover project and the enclosed-type noise barrier for the section of the future Tate's Cairn Tunnel approach roads near Richland Gardens in Kowloon Bay are two good examples.
Road Opening Works
Besides serving as carriageways for vehicles and pedestrians, the highways also provide space to install various utility services to the general public. To cope with the demand resulting from the rapid development in Hong Kong, utility companies often have to open up the carriageways and footways to maintain services by renewal, repair, and enlargement of pipes, cables and ducts. On average 108 new road openings are started every working day. These are co-ordinated and controlled by the Highways Department through a permit system, under which utility companies are required to carry out works to a required standard and in a limited period of time. In order to co-ordinate these works and to minimise disruption, the department holds monthly Road Opening Co-ordinating Com- mittee meetings with the utility companies, police and the Transport Department.
Tunnels
The Lion Rock Tunnel, which links Kowloon to Sha Tin and the north-eastern New Territories, opened in 1967 with a single tube. A second tube was added in 1978. During peak hours, particularly in the morning rush period, traffic volume exceeded the tunnel's design capacity, and the volume increased to a new high of 104 000 vehicles a day in early 1990. While various traffic management measures, including tidal flow, signal-controlled merging and some restrictions on access by goods vehicles had improved traffic conditions, congestion was still serious. However, the opening of Shing Mun Tunnel, the widening of Tai Po Road and the revision of toll from $3 to $6 at the Lion Rock Tunnel from April 20, 1990, have reduced the average daily traffic in 1990 to 95 600 vehicles. Further relief can be expected with the opening of the Tate's Cairn Tunnel in mid-1991.
The Aberdeen Tunnel, opened in 1982, links the north and south sides of Hong Kong Island. The average daily traffic in 1990 was 50 800 vehicles.
The toll-free Airport Tunnel provides direct road access from the central area of Kowloon to Hong Kong International Airport, and also crosses underneath the airport runway to Kwun Tong. Since the tunnel opened in June 1982, the volume of traffic using it has been increasing steadily and averaged about 44 600 vehicles per day in 1990.