XN000022-1985-11-01 — Page 9

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1935

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NEW BYPASS WILL EASE TSUEN WAN BOTTLENECK

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THE $400 MILLION SECOND STAGE OF THE TSUEN WAN BYPASS, A DUAL THREE-LANE CARRIAGEWAY THAT WILL ENABLE VEHICLES TO PASS THROUGH TSUEN WAN AT SPEEDS OF UP TO 70 KPH, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR S.Y. CHUNG.

BUILT ACROSS TSUEN WAN BAY ON ELEVATION, THE ROAD FEATURES HIGHLY IMPROVED SKID-RESISTANT SURFACING, EMERGENCY TELEPHONES, LIGHTING AND FIRE-FIGHTING FACILITIES.

AS PART OF THE PROJECT, 19 HECTARES OF LAND HAVE BEEN RECLAIMED FROM THE HARBOUR. THIS IS ALREADY THE SITE OF A MODERN TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE AND A NEW FERRY PIER. IT WILL EVENTUALLY HOUSE NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICES, RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS AND SPORTS AND OTHER RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING, SIR S.Y. SAID THE RAPID GROWTH OF TSUEN WAN AND KWAI CHUNG AND THE IR POSITION ASTRIDE THE PRINCIPAL ROAD CONNECTION BETWEEN KOWLOON AND THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES HAD CREATED TRAFFIC BOTTLE-NECKS.

+TODAY WE SEE THE FRUITION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION BY PROVIDING A BYPASS FROM THE CONTAINER PORT TEXACO ROAD AND THEN ON THIS AMBITIOUS STRUCTURE ACROSS TSUEN WAN BAY TO CONNECT WITH TUEN MUN ROAD,+ SIR S.Y. SAID.

+THIS IS THE FOURTH OPENING THIS YEAR OF A MAJOR ROAD PROJECT IN HONG KONG AND, I UNDERSTAND, MORE MAJOR ROUTES ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND BEING PLANNED.

TOWNS,

+THIS ROAD DEVELOPMENT, TOGETHER WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF NE.

ILLUSTRATES THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUING INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG, + HE ADDED.

ALSO SPEAKING AT THE OPENING, THE DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT. MR BRYAN O'RORKE. IN DESCRIBING THE BYPASS SAID: +INCLUDING THE STAGE ONE SECTION IN KWAI CHUNG IT COVERS A TOTAL LENGTH OF 3,6 KILOMETRES.

+THE FIRST STAGE WAS COMPLETED IN 1981 AT A COST OF MORE THAN $100 MILLION AND THIS SECOND STAGE WAS STARTED SOON AFTERWARDS.

+THE ROAD WORKS FOR STAGE TWO HAVE COST ABOUT $300 MILLION WHILE THE ASSOCIATED RECLAMATION WORKS HAVE COST A FURTHER $100 MILLION.+

MR O'RORKE THANKED THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS, THE MAIN CONTRACTORS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT.

/+THE GOVERNMENT