XN000022-1977-10-31 — Page 7

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1977

BEFORE TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ROAD PROJECTS ON HONG KONG ISLAND, P.W.S.C. AND UMELCO MEMBERS INSPECTED THE SITE OF THE LOK FU M.T.R. STATION.

THEY WERE BRIEFED BY MR. RON MEAD, PROJECT DIRECTOR OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION, ON THE PROGRESS OF THE WORK BEING CARRIED OUT THERE.

THE STATION, ABOUT 227 METRES LONG, IS BEING BUILT BENEATH WANG TAU HOM ESTATE PLAYGROUND.

MR. MEAD SAID THAT THE STATION WOULD BE OPEN FOR USE IN SEPTEMBER 1979 AND WOULD BE CAPABLE OF HANDLING ABOUT 80,000 PASSENGERS DAILY.

THE PLAYGROUND WOULD BE REINSTATED AFTER WORK ON THE STATION WAS COMPLETED.

AT THE CANAL ROAD FLYOVER EXTENSION, THE PARTY WAS GIVEN AN UP-TO-THE-MINUTE REPORT BY MR. W.J. KELLY, SENIOR RESIDENT ENGINEER, WHILE MR. DAVID TWIST, PROJECT ENGINEER OF MAUNSELL CONSULTANTS ASIA EXPLAINED THE TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS AND PLANNING OF THE PROJECT.

THE VISITORS SHOWED KEEN INTEREST IN THE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A DIRECT ELEVATED LINK FROM THE NORTHERN PORTAL OF THE FUTURE ABERDEEN TUNNEL TO THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL INTERCHANGE ON THE WATERFRONT WHEN COMPLETED

IN 1980.

MR. KELLY SAID THAT THE ACCESS RAMPS IN MORRISON HILL ROAD AND WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD WOULD ENABLE LOCAL TRAFFIC TO USE THE FLYOVER, THUS AVOIDING CONGESTION AT THREE KEY JUNCTIONS IN THE AREA.

PEDESTRIAN SUBWAYS WOULD BE BUILT UNDER MORRISON HILL ROAD, WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD AND QUEEN'S ROAD EAST TO FACILITATE PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENTS.

THE PARTY WINDED UP THE DAY'S TOUR WITH A VISIT TO THE MID-LEVELS WHERE MAJOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING CARRIED OUT.

THE MID-LEVELS ROAD IMPROVEMENT SCHEME COMPRISES A SERIES OF FLYOVERS AND ELEVATED CARRIAGEWAYS FROM MAGAZINE GAP ROAD TO CASTLE ROAD.

MR. PETER PEARSON, PROJECT ENGINEER, SAID THAT WORK ON THE FLYOVER AT THE UPPER END OF GARDEN ROAD WAS WELL UNDERWAY AND WAS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN APRIL NEXT YEAR.

+ IN ADDITION, WORK ON THE ROBINSON ROAD/CASTLE ROAD JUNCTION IMPROVEMENT HAS VIRTUALLY BEEN COMPLETED AND A CONTRACT HAS JUST BEEN LET FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TWO-LANE ELEVATED ROAD TO CARRY EASTBOUND TRAFFIC FROM ROBINSON ROAD OVER ALBANY ROAD,+ HE SAID.

MR. PEARSON SAID THAT WORK ON THE MID-LEVELS ROAD IMPROVEMENTS WAS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN LATE 1972.

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