XN000022-1986-04-07 — Page 7

MONDAY, APRIL 7, 1986

HE SAID SUCH CONCERN WAS UNDERSTANDABLE AND STRESSED THAT THE INTERCHANGE AT QUARRY BAY WHICH WAS LARGELY BELOW GROUND HAD BEEN DESIGNED TO MINIMISE TRAFFIC NOISE.

+MOREOVER, SUBSTANTIAL LANDSCAPING WILL FORM PART OF THE PROJECT, HE SAID.

TURNING TO LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS, MR TURNER SAID THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING BILL IS BEING DRAFTED TO GIVE STATUTORY EFFECT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE COMPANY. IT IS EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS SESSION.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE COMPANY IS ENGAGED IN BUILDING UP ITS ENGINEERING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM.

HE THE COMPANY'S CONSULTANTS, FREEMAN FOX (FAR EAST) LTD.. SAID, WERE ALREADY ENGAGED IN DETAILED DESIGN AND IN A JOINT TRAFFIC STUDY WITH THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE HOW THE CROSSING WOULD AFFECT TRAFFIC PATTERNS IN EAST KOWLOON.

+ TRAFFIC STUDIES ARE NECESSARY SO THAT GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO IMPROVE OVERALL TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE AREA.

+THE COMPANY AND GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT MAUNSELL CONSULTANTS (ASIA) LIMITED WHO ARE WELL-KNOWN LOCALLY AS ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS WILL BE APPOINTED TO CARRY OUT INDEPENDENT DESIGN CHECKS AND INDEPENDENT INSPECTION OF WORKS,+ HE ADDED.

+AN INTERESTING ASPECT OF THE PROJECT WILL BE THE USE OF CHA KWO LING QUARRY AS A DRYDOCK FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF TUNNEL UNITS. THE QUARRY WILL THEN BE FLOODED AND THE UNITS FLOATED TO POSITION IN THE HARBOUR.

+A PART OF THE QUARRY WILL THEN BE FILLED TO FORM THE TOLL PLAZA AND TUNNEL ADMINISTRATION AREA. THE REMAINING PORTION WILL BE LANDSCAPED AND THE DECISION MAY BE TAKEN LATER TO DEVELOP THIS AREA,+ HE SAID.

THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING PROJECT, COMPRISING A TWO- KILOMETRE COMBINED ROAD AND RAIL TUNNEL CONNECTING QUARRY BAY AND CHA KWO LING TOGETHER WITH THE NECESSARY LINKS TO EXISTING ROADS AND RAIL SYSTEMS, WILL TAKE FOUR YEARS TO CONSTRUCT.

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