XN000022-1978-09-22 — Page 5

L

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1978

CONTRACT SIGNED FOR AIRPORT TUNNEL ROAD CONNECTIONS

****

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY AWARDED A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EAST CONNECTIONS OF THE AIRPORT TUNNEL ROAD.

THE CONTRACT WORTH ABOUT $12.6 MILLION, WAS AWARDED TO LEADER CIVIL ENGINEERING CORPORATION LIMITED.

THE PROJECT INVOLVES CONNECTING THE EASTERN PORTAL OF THE AIRPORT TUNNEL WITH A SECTION OF ROAD ON THE KOWLOON BAY RECLAMATION, THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 260-METRE DUAL, TWO-LANE CARRIAGEWAY AND A THREE-LANE, THREE SPAN BRIDGE TOGETHER WITH APPROACH AND SLIP ROADS REQUIRED FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF KOWLOON BAY.

WORK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN OCTOBER AND WILL TAKE ABOUT 21 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

THE PROJECT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MAIN TRAFFIC ROUTE BETWEEN THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL AND KWUN TONG VIA THE WESTERN APPROACHES AND THE AIRPORT TUNNEL ROAD.

MEANWHILE THE P.W.D. ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT IT PROPOSES TO CONSTRUCT AN ELEVATED ROAD IN KOWLOON BAY RECLAMATION LINKING THE AIRPORT TUNNEL ROAD NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE WEST TO WAI YIP STREET AND NGAU TAU KOK ROAD IN THE EAST.

THIS ELEVATED ROAD IS PART OF THE TRUNK ROAD SYSTEM THAT WILL LINK KWUN TONG AND HUNG HOM VIA THE AIRPORT TUNNEL ROAD, PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE EAST-WEST ROUTE IN EAST KOWLOON.

THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE PROPOSED ELEVATED ROAD IS ABOUT 650 METRES. IT WILL START FROM THE WEST END OF NGAU TAU KOK ROAD AND WILL SPAN OVER KWUN TONG ROAD, THE NORTHERN FAN OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY KOWLOON BAY DEPOT AND WAI YIP STREET, BEFORE LANDING ON THE KOWLOON BAY RECLAMATION AREA.

HERE, IT WILL FINALLY BE CONNECTED TO THE AIRPORT TUNNEL BY ANOTHER NEW ROAD. SLIP ROADS FROM THE ELEVATED ROAD ON TO BOTH KWUN TONG ROAD AND WAI YIP STREET WILL BE PROVIDED.

UNDER THE SAME PROJECT PARTS OF KWUN TONG ROAD WILL BE REALIGNED, AND WIDENED, TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW AT GROUND LEVEL.

A PEDESTRIAN SUBWAY WILL ALSO BE BUILT UNDER THE NEW ROAD TO THE WEST SIDE OF WAI YIP STREET TO FACILITATE PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT.

AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE GIVING NOTICE OF ORDERS TO BE MADE UNDER THE STREETS (ALTERNATION) ORDINANCE FOR THIS PROJECT IS MADE TODAY. THE CLOSING DATE FOR OBJECTIONS WILL BE OCTOBER 22, 1978 AND ANY CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION MUST BE MADE BY NOVEMBER 22, 1978.

15