November_1965 — Page 28

86

Improving the

Network

Nathan Road, Kowloon, showing carriage-way markings and cen- tral dividing strip

Sketch of the Nairn Road- Waterloo Road flyover superim- posed on a photograph of the

area

T

'HERE are approximately 550 miles

of public roads in the Colony of Hong Kong, almost all of which are of tarred construction. More than 88,000 motor vehicles of all kinds are at present registered and this figure rises annually by some 14 per

cent.

With the very limited amount of land available and with population densities in some areas probably much higher than any in the world. a great deal of thought and expendi- ture has to be incurred to make im- provements to the existing road sys- tem within the urban areas.

These improvements almost always require extra space which can only be acquired by encroachment on pri- vate property. It is fortunate, there- fore, that with the ever increasing demand for accommodation owners frequently wish to redevelop their old properties, building blocks much higher than those which used to be normal.

Since before the war plans have been drawn for widening all main roads which are important to traffic. and it is usually possible to agree with the owners that Government will take back the land necessary for road im- provements, as and when the old buildings are demolished. As a result there is a steady improvement in the capacity of these roads.

It is sometimes possible to take advantage of development schemes to

construct completely new major tra- ffic links. One example is at King's Park in Kowloon: when the hill between Wylie Road and the railway was cut down to provide a site for the new military hospital now being built, a new length of four-lane high- way (which can be widened to six lanes when this becomes necessary) was constructed from Chatham Road to Ho Man Tin.

This will form part of the new link from Tsim Sha Tsui to Shatin making use of Nairn Road which has been widened to four lanes, the flyover now being built at the Nairn Road junction, Waterloo Road, and its extension to Lung Cheung Road, Lion Rock Tunnel, and the road down to Shatin, all now under con- struction.

Six-lane Road

Four years ago in north-east Kow- loon access to Kwun Tong was by way of Ngau Tau Kok Road which Now was in part only 20 ft. wide. there is a six-lane road all the way from Kowloon City, adjacent to Kai Tak Airport. From Kwun Tong the road continues to Yau Tong and plans are in hand for a second road at sea level through Cha Kwo Ling. Roads are being built over the hill to Junk Bay and to Clear Water Bay Road.

In north-east Kowloon, the ге- clamation of Cheung Sha Wan is now proceeding rapidly. This will enable Lai Chi Kok Road and Cheung Sha Wan Road to be com- pleted to Lai Chi Kok where there will be a major road interchange. The link is already being built from Tai Po Road, near its junction with Lung Cheung Road, down to Castle Peak Road above Lai Chi Kok Hos- pital at the junction with the second (down-hill) carriageway recently opened. This junction will be grade- separated taking advantage of the na- tural ground levels.

From the main interchange at Lai Chi Kok traffic bound for Tsuen Wan or Castle Peak will have the choice of Castle Peak Road or a new road across Lai Chi Kok Bay and round the coast line to Kwai Chung, which is being built as part of the Kwai Chung Development Project. These improvements will all facilitate access to the New Territories from Kowloon.

Finally, in Kowloon there is the Cross Harbour Tunnel approach and its connection to the road system.

Far East Architect & Builder November, 1965