TRANSPORT
236
The opening of the Shenzhen Airport in October 1991 provided a further impetus to the growth of cross-border traffic, and coach and ferry services now operate between the airport and Hong Kong.
Construction of Phase I of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Zhuhai Superhighway linking Guangzhou and Huanggang started in January 1992. When completed, it will further increase cross-border traffic, particularly through Lok Ma Chau.
The Road Network
Hong Kong's roads have one of the highest vehicle densities in the world. At the end of 1993, there were 439 719 licensed vehicles and about 1 625 kilometres of roads-418 on Hong Kong Island, 394 in Kowloon and 813 in the New Territories, representing 271 vehicles per kilometre of road. This high vehicle density, combined with the difficult terrain and dense building development, poses a constant challenge to transport planning, road construction and maintenance. There are eight major road tunnels, over 818 flyovers and bridges, 446 footbridges and 278 subways to assist the mobility of vehicles and people.
To cope with increasing transport demands, the Highways Department has continued an extensive construction programme, with about 60 road projects currently under construction and 30 being actively planned.
The department's budget for the financial year ending March 1994 totals $7,681 million, of which $7,043 million is for major highway construction, and $638 million for road and public lighting maintenance.
Strategic Road Network
The spine of the strategic road network is Route 1, which runs from Aberdeen on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island, and cuts through Kowloon peninsula and the New Territories, to the Lok Ma Chau border crossing point.
On Hong Kong Island, Route 8 runs along the northern shore from the Cross Harbour Tunnel, via the Island Eastern Corridor, to Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan in the east. Route 7 stretches westwards from the Cross Harbour Tunnel along the northern shore, via Gloucester Road, Harcourt Road and Connaught Road, to Hill Road at Kennedy Town.
[
On the mainland, Route 2 runs from the Kowloon Bay Reclamation, through the Airport Tunnel, via the East and West Kowloon Corridors, Tsuen Wan Road, Tuen Mun Road and Yuen Long Northern Bypass to the junction of Castle Peak Road and Lok Ma Chau Border Link Road. Route 4 runs along the base of the foothills separating Kowloon from the New Territories, and connects Lai Chi Kok with Kwun Tong and with Tseung Kwan O through the Tseung Kwan O Tunnel. Route 5, another strategic road, is a seven-kilometre, two-way trunk road connecting Sha Tin with Tsuen Wan, via the Shing Mun Tunnels. It forms part of the New Territories Circular Road System.
Route 6 covers the Eastern Harbour Crossing, Kwun Tong Bypass, Tate's Cairn Tunnel and the approach road linking Tate's Cairn Tunnel to the Tolo Highway.
Improvements to Major Road Networks
In the northern New Territories, the remaining section of the New Territories Circular Road from Pak Shek Au to Au Tau was completed during the year under review.