XN000022-1983-12-27 — Page 7

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1983

6.

'CORRIDOR' FIRST SECTION OPENING MID-1984

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THE FIRST SECTION OF ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR, ONE OF HONG KONG'S MOST AMBITIOUS ROAD PROJECTS, IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (TUESDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SAID THE SECTION, STRETCHING FROM CAUSEWAY BAY TO TAIKOO SHING, COVERS STAGE AND PART OF STAGE 1 OF THE PROJECT.

WORK ON THIS SECTION IS PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY AND IS NOW OVER 85 PER CENT COMPLETE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID PILING AND SUB-STRUCTURE WORKS HAS BEEN FINISHED AND CASTING OF THE BRIDGE DECKS IS NEARLY COMPLETE.

+WE ARE NOW CONCENTRATING ON THE SLIP ROADS CONNECTING TO THE EXISTING ROADS AT DIFFERENT JUNCTIONS AT VICTORIA PARK ROAD, TONG SHUI ROAD, HEALTHY STREET EAST AND TAIKOO SHING, + HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID WITH THE OPENING OF THIS SECTION TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN KING'S ROAD BETWEEN TAIKOO SHING AND CAUSEWAY BAY SHOULD EASE, ESPECIALLY DURING PEAK HOURS.

+WORK ON PHASE II OF STAGE 1 OF THE PROJECT, RUNNING FROM TAIKOO SHING TO SHAU KEI WAN, IS ALSO PROGRESSING SMOOTHLY AND WILL BE COMPLETED TOWARDS THE END OF 1985, HE SAID.

REFERRING TO STAGE 1 OF THE CORRIDOR FROM SHAU KEI WAN TO CHAI WAN - THE SPOKESMAN SAID WORK HAS ALREADY COMMENCED FROM THE CHAI WAN END,

THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE AWARDED A $41.8 MILLION CONTRACT IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH FOR CONSTRUCTION OF AN 800-METRE DUAL TWO-LANE CARRIAGEWAY BETWEEN WING TAI INTERCHANGE AND CHAI WAN ROUNDABOUT, AS PART OF STAGE !).

THIS CONTRACT ALSO INCLUDES AN EXTENSION TO WING TAI ROAD AND IMPROVEMENTS TO CHAI WAN ROUNDABOUT.

THREE FOOTBRIDGES WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ACROSS THIS SECTION OF THE CORRIDOR, ONE NEAR HING WAH TSUEN AND TWO AT CHAI WAN ROUNDABOUT TO PROVIDE SAFECROSSINGS FOR PEDESTRIANS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID CONSTRUCTION OF THE FINAL SECTION OF ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR FROM WING TAI ROAD TO SHAU KEI WAN WOULD START AT A LATER DATE AND COMPLETION IN 1987 WAS PLANNED.

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