XN000022-1984-06-07 — Page 3

THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1984

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+THE COMPLETION OF THE EASTERN CORRIDOR, TOGETHER WITH THE MASS TRANSIT ISLAND LINE WHICH WILL BE OPERATIONAL IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR, SHOULD PUT AN END TO THIS PROBLEM.+

THE GOVERNOR SAID AS AN ENGINEERING PROJECT THE EASTERN

CORRIDOR WAS SPECTACULAR.

+1 SHOULD LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE ENGINEERS WHO CONCEIVED, PLANNED AND DESIGNED THE PROJECT, AND THE CONTRACTORS WHO BUILT IT.

+1 CONGRATULATE THEM ON A JOB WELL DONE.

THE DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, MR EDDIE SHORT, SAID THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL ROADS TO SERVE THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN EASTERN DISTRICT AND CHAI WAN WAS RECOGNISED 10 YEARS AGO WHEN A STUDY WAS MADE TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO MEET THE NEED.

AN + ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED INCLUDED A HILLSIDE ROUTE ELEVATED ROAD ALONG KING'S ROAD AND A COASTAL ROUTE,+ HE SAID.

+THE COASTAL ROUTE WAS ADOPTED AND NAMED THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR.+

MR SHORT SAID THE ROAD WOULD MEET THE TRANSPORT DEMANDS OF EASTERN DISTRICT WELL INTO THE NEXT DECADE.

ALSO PRESENT AT TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY WERE LADY YOUDE, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR NICKY CHAN, AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE CONTRACTORS' STAFF.

AFTER HIS SPEECH, THE GOVERNOR UNVEILED A PLAQUE AND LOOKED AT A DISPLAY OF THE VARIOUS STAGES OF BUILDING THE CORRIDOR.

HE THEN OFFICIALLY OPENED THE ROAD BY DRIVING THROUGH A RIBBON STRETCHED ACROSS ONE CARRIAGEWAY.

THE TOTAL COST OF THE EIGHT KILOMETRES LONG HIGHWAY WILL BE $1 720 MILLION.

IT IS MAINLY DUAL THREE-LANE CARRIAGEWAY, ALTHOUGH BETWEEN THE HING FAT STREET AND TONG SHUI ROAD INTERSECTIONS AN EXTRA LANE HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN EACH DIRECTION.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST SECTION BEGAN IN JANUARY, 1981, ALTHOUGH A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF PREPARATORY WORK WAS COMPLETED BEFORE THIS, INCLUDING LARGE-SCALE RECLAMATION AT CAUSEWAY BAY AND QUARRY BAY.

IN BUILDING THE FIRST SECTION 1 400 PILES WERE USED, TOTALLING 55 KILOMETRES IN LENGTH.

THE VOLUME OF CONCRETE USED WAS 185 000 CUBIC METRES.

/THE SECTION