2
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1976
+TO COPE WITH THIS DEMAND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STARTED THIS ROUTE IMPROVEMENT SCHEME,+ SAID MR. TIEN.
THIS INVOLVED A SERIES OF IMPROVEMENTS AND WIDENING OF EXISTING ROADS AND BUILDING OF A HOST OF COMPLEX INTERCHANGES AT THE MAJOR JUNCTIONS OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS AT A COST OF SOME $150 MILLION.
+DURING THIS TIME, WE HAVE WATCHED WITH INTEREST THE OLD SINGLE CARRIAGEWAY ROAD GRADUALLY BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE MODERN HIGHWAY WHICH WE SEE TODAY, SAID MR. TIEN.
HE SAID THE PROJECT REPRESENTED THE COMBINED SKILL, HARDWORK AND DEDICATION OF MANY ORGANISATIONS AND PEOPLE, AND HE PAID SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS, MAUNSELL CONSULTANTS ASIA, THE STAFF OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND THE CONTRACTORS PAUL Y. CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHING CHEUNG ROAD EXTENSION,
ROUTE 4 STRETCHES FOR ABOUT EIGHT KILOMETRES ALONG THE KOWLOON FOOTHILLS AND INCORPORATES NINE MAJOR INTERCHANGES AS WELL AS A SERIES OF FOOTBRIDGES AND SUBWAYS TO ENABLE PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS THE ROADS CONVENIENTLY AND SAFELY.
FROM KWUN TONG, ROUTE 4 SWEEPS NORTH ON A CONTINUOUS ELEVATED ROAD TO CHOI HUNG INTERCHANGE FROM WHERE IT GRADUALLY DESCENDS TO GROUND LEVEL AND CONTINUES TO PO KONG.
TWO SMALLER BRIDGES ARE PROVIDED AT THE INTERCHANGE FOR TRAFFIC BOUND FOR CLEARWATER BAY ROAD AND SAI KUNG.
BEYOND PO KONG, THE ROAD RISES RAPIDLY TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE LION ROCK TUNNEL WHERE ANOTHER INTERCHANGE PROVIDES GRADE SEPARATED ACCESS TO THE TUNNEL AND SHA TIN.
FROM HERE TO CASTLE PEAK ROAD, ROUTE 4 SKIRTS THE STEEP HILLSIDES OF KOWLOON FOOTHILLS VIA LUNG CHEUNG ROAD LEADING UP TO NAM CHEONG INTERCHANGE.
CONNECTIONS TO THE EXISTING ROUTES FROM HONG KONG TO THE NEW TERRITORIES ARE PROVIDED AT NAM CHEONG STREET, PIPER'S HILL, AND CASTLE PEAK ROAD.
FROM CASTLE PEAK ROAD, ROUTE 4 DESCENDS IN A LONG SWEEP ROUND LAI CHI KOK BAY LINKING UP WITH KWAI CHUNG ROAD VIA THE NEW CHING CHEUNG ROAD EXTENSION WHICH WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY.
13