XN000022-1986-06-16 — Page 5

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MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1986

THE BOOKLET, ENTITLED +HONG KONG'S HIGHWAYS+, GIVES A BRIEF BACKGROUND TO THE HISTORY AND POST-WAR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE EXISTING ROAD NETWORK. IT ALSO COVERS TRANSPORTATION STUDIES, FUTURE TRANSPORT PLANS AND TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS.

IT UPDATES A PREVIOUS VERSION PUBLISHED FIVE YEARS AGO, SINCE WHEN A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ROAD NETWORK HAVE TAKEN PLACE. BESIDES PROVIDING THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE BOOKLET GIVES DETAILS OF MAJOR HIGHWAY PROJECTS BEING PLANNED OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

THE BOOKLET CONTAINS 26 PHOTOGRAPHS, THREE OF WHICH ARE HISTORICAL, TWO DIAGRAMS AND A TWO-PAGE COLOUR MAP OF THE ROAD NETWORK AND RAILWAY SYSTEM. MANY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM VANTAGE POSITIONS NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE.

THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEWLY-CREATED HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT, MR HAROLD BEATON, SAID IT WOULD BE A USEFUL GUIDE ON HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENTS TO STUDENTS, OTHER LOCAL RESIDENTS, AND VISITORS.

+ IT BRINGS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

+ HONG KONG'S TERRAIN AND THE LIMITED SPACE FOR HIGHWAY FACILITIES PRESENTS A CONSTANT CHALLENGE TO MY DEPARTMENT, BUT THE PAST WORK AND FUTURE PROGRAMMES COMPARE FAVOURABLY WITH ANY OTHER CITY IN THE WORLD AND SHOW THAT THIS CHALLENGE IS BEING MET.+

MR BEATON SAID BESIDES THE BUDGET FOR HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, A TOTAL OF $320 MILLION WOULD BE SPENT ON MAINTAINING ROADS AND HIGHWAYS.

SCENTED GARDENS NOW OPEN SPECIALLY FOR THE BLIND

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TO PROVIDE ENJOYMENT FOR THE BLIND, THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS SET ASIDE AREAS AT VICTORIA PARK AND KOWLOON PARK AS SCENTED GARDENS WHERE FLOWERS AND TREES WITH A STRONG SCENT AND OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND SHAPES ARE PLANTED.

THE SCENTED GARDEN AT VICTORIA PARK HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE APRIL THIS YEAR, AND THE ONE AT KOWLOON PARK SINCE AUGUST 1985.

/+VICTORIA