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The Chief Secretary said the West Kowloon Expressway and the Kwai Chung Viaduct were the first two of the seven Government projects under the ACP which would be available for public use. They will be opened to traffic tomorrow at 10 a.m.
The two highways form part of the 34-kilometre ACP transport corridor linking Hong Kong island with the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and the Tung Chung New Town.
In addition, the two expressways will serve Kwai Chung and the South Kowloon areas and will come as a timely relief to the heavy traffic in West Kowloon, Mrs Chan said.
She said that on February 26 another ACP road project, the Sai Ying Pun section of the road network linking Western District and Sheung Wan, will also be opened to traffic.
In April, the first dual three-lane cross barbour tunnel, Hong Kong's third cross- harbour tunnel, will be opened to traffic. A private sector company, the Western Harbour Tunnel Company Limited, is building the tunnel under a "build, operate and transfer" franchise agreement with the Government.
And finally on May 21, the Lantau Link will connect the North Lantau Expressway to the road network of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. This will enable the public to drive all the way from Hong Kong Island to Tung Chung New Town and it marks the completion of the ACP transport corridor.
To commemorate the completion and opening of the transport corridor, Mrs Chan said the Government was planning a series of opening ceremonies and public
events.
"The opening ceremony of the Lantau Link, Hong Kong's new landmark, on April 27 is particularly important as it symbolises the substantial completion of the entire ACP transport corridor and is itself solid proof of our capability to deliver one of the world's greatest infrastructure projects, amidst other pressing priorities in the run-up to the transition," she noted.
Before the Lantau Link is actually opened for public use, two community participation events are being organised under the co-ordination of the New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, namely an international marathon and a 10-kilometre run on May 4 organised by the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association and a charity walk on May 11 organised by the Community Chest.