XN000022-1988-05-13 — Page 2

1.

FRIDAY, MAY 13, 1988

FOUR-DAY TEST AT TUNNEL COMPLETED

*

THE FINDINGS OF THE SIGNAL-CONTROLLED MERGING TEST AT THE HONG KONG ENTRANCE OF THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL ARE BEING EVALUATED ON THEIR IMPACT ON TUNNEL THROUGHPUT, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE TEST HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT ON FOUR SINCE TUESDAY (MAY 10) AND WAS COMPLETED TODAY.

CONSECUTIVE

MORNINGS

AM TO

IN THE FIRST MORNING, THE TEST WAS CONDUCTED FROM 10.30 12.30 PM. TRAFFIC COUNTS MADE AT THE APPROACHES то THE TUNNEL INDICATED A MODERATE IMPROVEMENT IN THROUGHPUT BY ABOUT NINE PER CENT AFTER THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNALS HAD BEEN SWITCHED ON.

THE TEST WAS ALSO CARRIED OUT FOR TWO HOURS ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, WITH VARIATIONS IN IMPLEMENTATION TIME то EXAMINE THEIR IMPACT. TUNNEL THROUGHPUT WAS MAINTAINED AT NORMAL WEEKDAY LEVEL, ALTHOUGH VEHICLES AT THE TUNNEL PORTAL HAD MERGED IN A MORE ORDERLY MANNER.

HOURS

OF

TODAY'S TEST, IMPLEMENTED CONTINUOUSLY FOR THREE STARTING FROM 7.30 AM, FOCUSSED MAINLY ON THE IMPACT OF THE LENGTH GREEN LIGHT TIME ON TRAFFIC QUEUES.

BETWEEN 7.30 AM AND 9 AM, ONLY THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNALS ON THE APPROACH ROAD FROM GLOUCESTER ROAD WERE OPERATED IN ORDER TO GIVE PRIORITY TO VEHICLES COMING FROM CANAL ROAD FLYOVER. NO QUEUE WAS FOUND ON THE FLYOVER, BUT SUBSTANTIAL CONGESTION APPEARED ON OTHER APPROACH ROADS.

FROM 9 AM ONWARDS, PRIORITY WAS GIVEN TO VEHICLES COMING FROM GLOUCESTER ROAD, AND THIS HAD AGAIN RESULTED IN LONG TRAFFIC QUEUES ON CANAL ROAD FLYOVER.

IN ADDITION, LONG TRAFFIC QUEUES MIGHT ALSO BE DUE TO THE HEAVY

RAINFALL THIS MORNING.

RESULTS OF THE TEST AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT ON THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL TRAFFIC STUDY WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.

/2