SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1979
ABERDEEN TUNNEL BREAKTHROUGH
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CONSTRUCTION OF THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL REACHED AN IMPORTANT STAGE TODAY (SATURDAY) WITH THE BREAKTHROUGH ON THE UPPER HALF OF THE FIRST OF THE TWIN TUNNELS.
THE BREAKTHROUGH WAS ACHIEVED AT NOON WHEN THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT ENGINEER OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT'S HIGHWAYS OFFICE, MR. CHAN NAI-KEONG, DETONATED A 200 KG CHARGE TO REMOVE THE LAST FOUR METRES OF ROCK SEPARATING THE EXCAVATIONS FROM THE NORTH AND SOUTH ENDS OF THE PROJECT.
FOLLOWING TRADITION, MINERS FROM EACH SIDE CLIMBED OVER THE STILL SMOKING ROCK-PILE TO SHAKE HANDS AND CONGRATULATE EACH OTHER ON THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE FIRST STAGE OF THE TUNNEL EXCAVATION.
THE OCCASION WAS ALSO CELEBRATED BY TRADITIONAL BUDDHIST CEREMONIES AND A LION DANCE.
EXCAVATION OF THE $200 MILLION TWIN TUNNELS OF THE PROJECT IS BEING DONE IN TWO STAGES FIRST THE TOP HALF IS REMOVED, AND THEN THE BOTTOM HALF EXCAVATED.
THE BREAKTHROUGH ON THE SECOND SOUTHBOUND TUNNEL WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL AUTUMN NEXT YEAR.
AN IMPORTANT BENEFIT OF TODAY'S BREAKTHROUGH IS THAT CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE PARTIALLY EXCAVATED TUNNEL TO TRAVEL BETWEEN ABERDEEN AND HAPPY VALLEY USING ONLY THE UPPER HALF OF THE TUNNEL.
PUBLIC MOTORISTS WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 1981 BEFORE THEY CAN USE THE TWO 1.8 KM TUNNELS.
THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE PROJECT IS THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL JOINT VENTURE, A CONSORTIUM CONSISTING OF SOCIETE FRANCAISE D'ENTREPRISES DE DRAGAGES ET DE TRAVAUX PUBLICS, GAMMON (HONG KONG) LTD., SVENSKA AB SENTAB, AND HOCHTIEF A.G. FUR HOCH UND TIEFBAUTÉN.
THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL WAS DESIGNED BY MAUNSELL CONSULTANTS
ASIA FOR THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE PWD.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNELS AND ITS CONTROL BUILDINGS IS ONLY PART OF THE WHOLE PROJECT.
AT THE SOUTHERN, ABERDEEN END, WORK ON THE $60 MILLION WONG CHUK HANG INTERCHANGE IS PROGRESSING.
THE INTERCHANGE WILL LINK THE TUNNEL TO WONG CHUK HANG ROAD PROVIDING SMOOTH ACCESS FOR TRAFFIC FROM BOTH REPULSE BAY AND ABERDEEN.
ASSOCIATED WORKS INVOLVE THE RE-LOCATION OF THE ACCESS ROAD TO OCEAN PARK, AN OVERPASS ACROSS WONG CHUK HANG ROAD FOR OCEAN PARK TRAFFIC, AND ACCOMPANYING SLIP ROADS TO PROVIDE DIRECT ACCESS TO GRANTHAM HOSPITAL.
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