XN000022-1986-03-27 — Page 45

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986

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WORK TO START ON SHA TIN-TSUEN WAN LINK TUNNEL

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A $452 MILLION CONTRACT SIGNED TODAY (THURSDAY) WILL HELP CUT DRIVING TIME BETWEEN SHA TIN AND TSUEN WAN TO 10 MINUTES AND REDUCE CONGESTION IN THE LION ROCK TUNNEL.

THE CONTRACT, FOR DUAL TWO-LANE HIGHWAY TUNNELS UNDER SMUGGLERS RIDGE AND NEEDLE HILL, WAS SIGNED FOR THE GOVERNMENT BY PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT HIGHWAYS ENGINEER, MR HAROLD BEATON, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF A JOINT VENTURE COMPANY COMPRISING GAMMON (HK) LTD, DRAGAGES ET TRAVAUX PUBLICS AND SKANSKA AB.

THE CONTRACT IS FOR THE CENTRAL, 3.5-KILOMETRE SHING MUN SECTION OF THE SEVEN-KILOMETRE ROUTE FIVE CORRIDOR WHICH WILL LINK THE TWO TOWNS. IT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE 43 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

BESIDES THE TWIN TWO-LANE TUNNELS WHICH WILL BE 2.6 KILOMETRES LONG, IT INCLUDES A PAIR OF BRIDGES ACROSS THE HEADWATERS OF THE LOWER SHING MUN RESERVOIR AND A BRIDGE OVER THE DIVERSION OF SHING MUN ROAD.

A TOLL PLAZA WITH 13 TOLL LANES AND AN ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL BUILDING WILL BE BUILT AT TSUEN WAN NEAR WO YI HOP VILLAGE.

IN KEEPING WITH COMMON ENGINEERING PRACTICE AND TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM USE OF EXPENSIVE PLANT AND OTHER RESOURCES, TUNNELLING WORK IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE 24 HOURS A DAY, BUT THIS WILL NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE PUBLIC AS THE SITES ARE NOT NEAR ANY BUILT-UP AREAS.

LATER THIS YEAR FIVE OTHER CONTRACTS TOTALLING ABOUT $110 MILLION WILL BE LET FOR THE SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR THE OPERATION OF THE TUNNELS.

THE DESIGN FOR THE TWO ASSOCIATED ROAD CONNECTION PROJECTS IN SHA TIN AND TSUEN WAN IS UNDERWAY AND CONSTRUCTION ON THESE HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED TO START NEXT YEAR SO THAT THE WHOLE ROUTE FIVE WILL BE COMPLETED AT THE SAME TIME BEFORE THE END OF 1989.

THE SHING MUN SECTION OF ROUTE FIVE HAS BEEN DESIGNED BY MOTT, HAY AND ANDERSON FAR EAST CONSULTING ENGINEERS ON BEHALF OF THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE SAME FIRM WILL SUPERVISE THE CONSTRUCTION.

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