XN000022-1985-09-24 — Page 4

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1985

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TRUNK ROAD WILL BENEFIT THE WHOLE TERRITORY

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THE SHA TIN TO FANLING SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES TRUNK ROAD WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TODAY (TUESDAY).

AND FROM TOMORROW MOTORISTS WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE 15-KILOMETRE SECTION OF THE TRUNK ROAD IN UNDER 20 MINUTES. LESS THAN HALF THE PREVIOUS TIME FOR THE JOURNEY FROM SHA TIN TO FANLING.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE $1 400 MILLION INVESTED IN THE PROJECT EMPHASISED THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO AN EFFICIENT ROAD SYSTEM FOR THE WHOLE TERRITORY.

+THE INVESTMENT IS SUBSTANTIAL BUT IT IS AN INVESTMENT WHICH WILL SERVE NOT ONLY THE AREA THROUGH WHICH IT PASSES, IT WILL BENEFIT HONG KONG AS A WHOLE IN TERMS OF IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.+

SIR EDWARD SAID THE PROJECT, ALONG WITH THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR AND THE SOON-TO-BE-OPENED TSUEN WAN BYPASS, HIGHLIGHTED THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO PROVIDE A ROAD SYSTEM DESIGNED TO KEEP PACE WITH HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

+HERE IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED, THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO BECOMING INCREASINGLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT. THE GOVERNMENT PLANNERS HAVE IN CONSEQUENCE BEEN AT PAINS TO MINIMISE THE EFFECT OF THE NEW HIGHWAY ON THE LANDSCAPE AND THE COUNTRYSIDE HAS BEEN WELL PRESERVED.+

THE ROAD HAS TAKEN A WORKFORCE OF 2 500 MEN NEARLY FIVE YEARS TO BUILD. IT RUNS ALONG THE SCENIC COAST OF TOLO HARBOUR, THROUGH THE FOOTHILLS TO THE WEST OF TAI PO AND ALONGSIDE THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY ON ITS WAY TO FANLING.

A FEATURE OF THE ROAD IS THE FOUR BRIDGES ON THE TAI PO BYPASS WHICH CROSSES RIDGES AND DEEP RAVINES TO TAKE TRAFFIC AWAY FROM THE TAI PO TOWN CENTRE.

THESE BRIDGES HAVE BEEN BUILT BY INCREMENTAL LAUNCHING, THE FIRST TIME THIS METHOD HAS BEEN USED IN HONG KONG, THEY ARE BASICALLY CONTINUOUS BRIDGES OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE. THE DECKS WERE CAST IN 10-METRE SEGMENTS IN A +FACTORY+ AT ONE END OF EACH BRIDGE.

ONCE CAST, THE SEGMENTS WERE PUSHED OUT WITH HYDRAULIC JACKS, EACH SEGMENT PUSHING OUT THE ONE BEFORE IT UNTIL THE FIRST SEGMENT TO BE CAST REACHED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.

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