XN000022-1975-12-30 — Page 2

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1975

FULL LENGTH OF EXTENDED AIRPORT RUNWAY TO OPEN TOMORROW ******

THE EXTENDED RUNWAY AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMES INTO FULL USE TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) WHEN THE ENTIRE 11,130-FOOT STRIP WILL BECOME AVAILABLE FOR INCOMING AND OUTGOING AIRCRAFT.

THIS HAS NOW BECOME POSSIBLE WITH THE COMPLETION OF A ROAD TUNNEL A VITAL LINK IN A MAJOR ROAD SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR THE AREA BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT UNDER THE NORTH-WESTERN END OF THE RUNWAY.

MR. FONG CHUN-NAM, GOVERNMENT CIVIL ENGINEER, P.W.D., SAID TODAY THAT ALTHOUGH THE RUNWAY EXTENSION WAS COMPLETED IN JUNE 1974, A SECTION OF ABOUT 900 FEET AT THE NORTHWEST END HAD TO BE CLOSED TO AIR TRAFFIC ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO TO FACILITATE WORK ON THE TUNNEL.

+THE CONTRACT FOR THE WORKS AMOUNTING TO ABOUT $56 MILLION, WAS AWARDED TO GAMMON (HONG KONG) LTD. WHICH HAVE NOW COMPLETED THE WORKS.

+RESURFACING OF THE CLOSED SECTION OF THE RUNWAY IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED TODAY, AND THE BLAST FENCE WHICH SHIELDED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS FROM THE EFFECTS OF JET TAKE-OFFS WILL BE REMOVED TO ENABLE AIRCRAFT TO UTILISE THE FULL STRETCH OF THE ́RUNWAY,+ HE SAID.

THE OPENING OF THE FULL LENGTH OF THE EXTENDED RUNWAY WILL MEAN THAT AIRCRAFT WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF WITH HEAVIER PAYLOADS ON LONG SECTORS.

THE TUNNEL BENEATH THE RUNWAY, MR. FONG SAID, WAS ABOUT 420 FEET LONG RUNNING DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE RUNWAY +AND WILL FORM A CRUCIAL PART OF THE FUTURE HIGHWAY LINKING THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF KUUN TONG AND HUNG HOM.+

PLANNING WAS ALREADY IN HAND, HE ADDED, ON CONNECTING ROADS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE TUNNEL.

+WHEN FULLY COMPLETED, THE SCHEME WILL PROVIDE A FAST ROAD LINK BETWEEN KVUN TONG AND HUNG HOM AND SHOULD HELP CONSIDERABLY IN EASING CONGESTION IN THE AREA,+ HE SAID.

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