TRANSPORT
The 1.9-kilometre Cross-Harbour Tunnel connects Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island and Hung Hom in Kowloon. It was opened in 1972. Used by a daily average of 124 000 vehicles in 1996, it is one of the world's busiest four-lane road tunnels. The tolls, which included a government passage tax, varied from $4 to $30 per vehicle.
The Eastern Harbour Crossing is Hong Kong's second cross-harbour road tunnel. Opened in 1989, it links Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon. A daily average of 88 000 vehicles used the 2-kilometre tunnel in 1996. The tolls ranged from $5 to $30. On the Kowloon side, the Eastern Harbour Crossing is connected by elevated roads to the Kowloon portal of the Tate's Cairn Tunnel.
The Tate's Cairn Tunnel was opened to traffic in 1991, providing an additional direct road link between the north-eastern New Territories and Kowloon. About four kilometres long, it is the longest road tunnel in the territory. It was used by an average of 74 000 vehicles daily in 1996, paying $6 to $15 each.
The Western Harbour Crossing, when it opens in April 1997, will be the first six- lane road tunnel in Hong Kong. It will link Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island and the West Kowloon Reclamation near Yau Ma Tei. The construction of the two- kilometre tunnel and the interchanges at both ends, which commenced in August 1993, is costing about $7.5 billion. Its capacity of 180 000 vehicles per day is about 50 per cent higher than that of either of the existing cross-harbour road tunnels.
An automatic toll collection system was installed at the Cross-Harbour and Aberdeen tunnels in August 1993, the Lion Rock Tunnel in August 1994, the Eastern Harbour Crossing in September 1995 and the Tate's Cairn Tunnel in May 1996, enabling motorists to drive through designated toll booths without stopping.
Traffic Control and Surveillance
A continuing programme of traffic control measures is being implemented to improve traffic flows. At the end of the year, the territory had 1 300 signalised junctions, 329 on Hong Kong Island, 481 in Kowloon and 490 in the New Territories.
On Hong Kong Island, the signalised junctions along the northern shore are under the control of the Hong Kong Area Traffic Control (ATC) system, which is being expanded to Southern District. By the end of 1996, 299 junctions on the island were under ATC and 39 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras were in use for traffic surveillance.
Renewal of the Kowloon ATC system, which covered 481 signalised junctions, was completed. Work for the expansion of the CCTV system is in progress. By early 1997, there will be 62 cameras monitoring the traffic conditions in the peninsula.
In the New Territories, the ATC and CCTV systems for Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing were completed in 1996. The new ATC system controls 118 signalised junctions and monitors the traffic condition there through 22 CCTV cameras. Work on the ATC system in Sha Tin, covering 90 junctions, will commence in early 1997 for completion in early 1998. Detailed design for 19 cameras in the Sha Tin CCTV system was completed and work will start in mid-1997. Planning for the expansion of ATC and CCTV systems to other new towns is continuing.
The CCTV system of 19 cameras on Tuen Mun Road has proved very effective in monitoring traffic flow and identifying incidents. Similar CCTV systems are being
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