Transport | 237
started in April 2002 and will be completed in two phases in late 2008 and mid-2009 respectively.
• Trunk Road T3: This dual two-lane trunk road in Tai Wai will link Route 8 (Cheung Sha Wan to Sha Tin) with the existing Tai Po Road to help divert traffic from several congested sections of Tai Po Road. Construction started in March 2003 and will be completed by early 2008.
• Tung Chung Road between Lung Tseng Tau and Cheung Sha: This road will be upgraded into a single two-lane road to improve Lantau Island's north-south access and to increase the capacity and safety of the existing substandard Tung Chung Road. Construction started in June 2004 and is scheduled for completion in September 2008.
Road Projects in the Planning Stage
A number of road construction/improvement projects are being planned to further expand and improve the existing road network:
• The preliminary design and site investigation of the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link and Tuen Mun Western Bypass is under way. The project will provide a dual two-lane strategic road connecting the Kong Sham Western Highway with Hong Kong International Airport/Lantau to meet the anticipated traffic demand of the Northwest New Territories and Lantau after 2016. The new road will also serve as an alternative road to and from the airport. Construction is scheduled to start in 2011 for completion by 2016.
• Reconstruction and improvement of Tuen Mun Road is scheduled to start in early 2008 for phased completion by the end of 2012. The project is to upgrade the dual three-lane carriageway of the expressway section to current expressway standards, including the provision of hard shoulder lanes wherever practicable. Design and site investigation works started at the end of 2005. The widening of the Tuen Mun Road Town Centre Section is scheduled to start in end-2008 for completion by end-2010.
Planning of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass is under way. It is part of a strategic highway running through the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. It will connect the existing flyover near Rumsey Street in Central to the existing island Eastern Corridor at North Point. This dual three-lane carriageway will relieve congestion along Connaught Road Central/Harcourt Road/Gloucester Road corridor, and improve the network reliability of the east-west link.
• Planning of the Central Kowloon Route and widening of the Gascoigne Road Flyover is under way. The proposed Central Kowloon Route will connect West Kowloon reclamation and the future Kai Tak development with a 3.8 kilometre-long dual three-lane tunnel. The widening of Gascoigne Road Flyover is to upgrade the existing single two-lane carriageway to dual two-lane configuration. The investigation study started in August 2007.
• Detailed design of the widening of Tolo Highway/Fanling Highway between the Island House Interchange and Fanling is being carried out. The project is to