XN000022-1977-10-31 — Page 2

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1977

37 MILLION CONTRACT FOR ELEVATED ROAD

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY LET A CONTRACT FOR 337 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELEVATED ROADWAY FROM TAI KOK TSUI TO SHAM SHU PO AND THE ASSOCIATED GROUND LEVEL ROADS.

THE CONTRACT, WHICH FORMS PHASE ONE OF THE SECOND STAGE OF THE $300 MILLION WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR PROJECT, HAS BEEN AWARDED TO FRANKI PILING AND ENGINEERING (HK) LTD.

MR. STAN BARDEN, PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT HIGHWAY ENGINEER OF THE P.X.D.'S HIGHWAYS OFFICE, WHO SIGNED THE CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT TODAY, SAID THAT WORK WOULD BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AND WOULD TAKE ABOUT 27 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

WHEN COMPLETED, IT WOULD PROVIDE A VERY DESIRABLE BY-PASS FOR TRAFFIC TRAVELLING THROUGH THE HEAVILY CONGESTED TAI KOK TSUI AREA.

HE SAID THAT THE CONTRACT WOULD INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELEVATED NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY ALONG TAI KOK TSUI ROAD FROM CHERRY STREET TO THE TUNG CHAU STREET JUNCTION, AND AN ELEVATED SOUTHEOUND CARRIAGEWAY WITH A SLIP ROAD LEADING TO TUNG CHAU STREET AND TERMINATING IN THE VICINITY OF THE PRINCE EDWARD ROAD JUNCTION.

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+THE ELEVATED ROADWAY, WHICH IS ABOUT ONE KILOMETRE IN LENGTH, WILL HAVE THREE TRAFFIC LANES IN EACH DIRECTION,+ MR. BARDEN SAID.

+ON THE CTHER HAND, THE ASSOCIATED GROUND LEVEL ROADS AT TAI KOK TSUI ROAD AND TUNG CHAU STREET WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED ON A NEW ALIGNMENT.+

HE ADDED THAT THE ELEVATED ROADWAY WOULD BE EXTENDED IN STAGES TO LINK UP IN THE SOUTH WITH GASCOIGNE ROAD/FERRY STREET SECTION WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE NORTH WITH LAI CHI KOK ROAD TO COMPLETE THE WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR.

ON COMPLETION, THE WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR WILL PROVIDE A PRIMARY DISTRIBUTOR HIGHWAY FOR TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL AND WEST AS WELL AS NORTHWEST KOWLOON.

THE SCHEME HAS BEEN DESIGNED, AND THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE SUPERVISED BY CONSULTANT ENGINEERS, MAUNSELL CONSULTANTS ASIA ON BEHALF OF THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

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