XN000022-1977-12-26 — Page 4

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1977

CONSULTANTS WANTED FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY OF FIXED CROSSING TO LANTAU

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING OVERSEAS AS WELL AS LOCALLY FOR SUITABLY QUALIFIED CONSULTANTS TO CONDUCT FURTHER

INVESTIGATION INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTING A FIXED CROSSING TO LINK LANTAU ISLAND WITH THE MAINLAND.

THE PROPOSED CROSSING WILL BE A BRIDGE AND/OR TUNNEL SYSTEM FROM LANTAU VIA THE ISLANDS OF MA WAN AND TSING YI TO THE MAINLAND AT TSUEN WAN. THE LONGEST CROSSING WILL BE FROM MA WAN TO TSING YI, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 1,500 METERS.

THE CONSULTANTS' INVESTIGATION WILL ALSO INCLUDE AN APPROPRIATE SYSTEM OF CONNECTING ROADS ON THE ISLANDS AND THE MAINLAND.

MR. STANLEY BARDEN, PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT HIGHWAY ENGINEER OF P.W.D. SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE SPECIALISED NATURE OF THE PROJECT INVOLVING LONG SPAN BRIDGES WITH HIGH WATER CLEARANCE AND POSSIBLY ALSO AN IMMERSED TUBE TUNNEL, THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO INVITE INTERESTED CONSULTANTS TO MAKE A PRE-QUAL IF ICATION SUBMISSION WITH A VIEW TO ASSESSING THEIR SUITABILITY TO UNDERTAKE THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.

HE SAID PRESENTATIONS WOULD THEN BE INVITED FROM A SHORT LIST OF THOSE CONSIDERED MOST ELIGIBLE TO UNDERTAKE THE WORK.

THE DEADLINE FOR LODGING PRE-QUAL IF ICATION SUBMISSIONS IS

AT THE END OF JANUARY NEXT YEAR.

MR. BARDEN SAID THAT THE PROJECT WILL INVOLVE EXTENSIVE LIAISON WORK WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FOR WHICH LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL IF THE AMBITIOUS WORK PROGRAMME IS TO BE MET.

IN ADDITION TO DESCRIBING THE IR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE, THE CONSULTANTS IN THEIR PRE-QUALIFICATION SUBMISSION WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW THAT THEIR ORGANISATION OR, IN THE EVENT OF A GROUP SUBMISSION, ONE OR MORE OF THE MEMBERS MAKING UP THE GROUP IS ON THE APPROVED P.W.D. LIST OF CONSULTANTS AND HAS A LOCAL PRESENCE IN HONG KONG.

THE CONSULTANTS OR A MEMBER OF THE GROUP ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO HAVE CARRIED OUT CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS IN HONG KONG,

THE SUCCESSFUL CONSULTANTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE IN THE INVESTIGATION INTO DESIGN AND SUPERVISION OF CONSTRUCTION OF IMMERSED TUBE TUNNELS, LONG SPAN BRIDGES WITH HIGH WATER CLEARANCE AND MAJOR HIGHWAY/BRIDGE PROJECTS.

THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID IN LONDON LAST MONTH THAT A DECISION ON WHETHER TO GO AHEAD WITH THE FIXED CROSSING PROJECT IS LIKELY TO BE MADE IN EARLY 1979 AFTER THE CONSULTANTS HAD SUBMITTED HIS REPORT.

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