XN000022-1997-02-25 — Page 2

Hong Kong enjoying fruits of grand vision

Hong Kong is beginning to enjoy "the fruits of a grand vision" with the progressive completion of the Airport Core Programme (ACP), the Chairman of the Airport Consultative Committee, Mr Hu Fa-kuang, said today (Tuesday).

Officiating at the opening ceremony of the Sai Ying Pun section of Route 7, Mr Hu said the road, which would be opened tomorrow, was one of the early harvest.

"The opening tomorrow will bring about substantial improvement to the traffic along our western waterfront and, finally, usher in the traffic to our third tunnel, our first dual three-lane Western Harbour Crossing." he said.

He added that the opening of the Sai Ying Pun section of Route 7 to traffic would be welcome by the general public. and he looked forward to the public opening of the Western Harbour Crossing in April.

"There is no better reward to myself and my colleagues on the Airport Consultative Committee to see the successful completion of the ACP projects and in May we shall celebrate together the full opening of the ACP transport corridor when we can drive from here all the way on a purpose built dual three-lane expressway to the new town of Tung Chung." he said.

Mr Hu congratulated all those who had taken part in the implementation of "this successful project", including the Western Harbour Tunnel Company, consulting engineers and the Highways Department.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of Highways, Mr K S Leung, said the Sai Ying Pun section was another essential part of the ACP transport corridor which linked Hong Kong via the Western Harbour Crossing to the new airport at Chek Lap Kok.

Constructed as part of the Western Harbour Crossing, the road section also provided an additional, high capacity road link to the north western part of Hong Kong Island. Its opening would facilitate traffic flow between Central and the areas of Kennedy Town and Pokfulam, he said.

The new road is a 1.7-kilometre dual two-lane elevated highway from Rumsey Street Flyover to Belcher Bay with a slip road from the Hill Road Flyover. Connection to the Western Harbour Crossing is through the Sai Ying Pun Interchange which is situated half way along the new route.