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ON
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 1981
HILL ROAD FLYOVER READY NEXT MONTH
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HONG KONG'S LATEST ELEVATED ROADWAY, THE HILL ROAD FLYOVER, WILL BE OPENED NEXT MONTH.
PRIOR TO THE OPENING, THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT HIGHWAY ENGINEER, MR HAROLD BEATON, TODAY TOOK A FIRST HAND LOOK AT THE ROAD PROJECT FOR HIMSELF.
HE WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE VISIT BY THE ACTING CHIEF ENGINEER. HIGHWAYS (HK) DIVISION, MR HULBERT WOO, AND THE PROJECT ENGINEER, MR NG KWOK-KEE.
MR BEATON SAID THAT THE ALIGNMENT AND STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF THE HILL ROAD FLYOVER WERE MADE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT BY THE STEEP AND WINDING PROFILE OF HILL ROAD, COUPLED WITH THE PROXIMITY OF NEARBY BUILDINGS.
+DIFFICULTIES, SUCH AS OBSTRUCTION BY ROCKS AT SEABED, WERE EXPERIENCED DURING FOUNDATION WORKS WHICH NECESSITATED REVISION IN DESIGN,+ HE ADDED.
THE TWO-LANE, ONE-WAY FLYOVER EXTENDS 650 METRES FROM THE JUNCTION OF POK FŰ LAM AND HILL ROADS DOWN TO THE WATERFRONT AT CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST. THE PROJECT COSTS ABOUT $42 MILLION.
MR BEATON SAID THAT THE FLYOVER WOULD PROVIDE A FAST LINK FROM POK FU LAM THROUGH WESTERN TO CENTRAL.
AT PRESENT, COMMUTERS HAVE TO TAKE MORE THAN AN HOUR TO GET THROUGH THE TRAFFIC JAM WHICH BUILDS UP BETWEEN QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL AND HONG KONG UNIVERSITY IN THE RUSH HOUR.
+ONCE THE FLYOVER IS OPEN, CONGESTION ALONG THIS PART OF POK FU LAM ROAD IS EXPECTED TO BE EASED AND TRAVELLING TIME WILL BE SHORTENED,+ MR BEATON SAID.
WORK ON THE FLYOVER BEGAN IN JUNE 1978.
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