ENG-1968 — Page 269

COMMUNICATIONS

197

ROADS

There are 618.9 miles of road in the Colony maintained by Govern- ment of which 203.3 are on Hong Kong Island, 183.5 in Kowloon and 232.1 in the New Territories. To cope with the ever increasing traffic demands resulting from improvements in social and economic conditions and to reduce the level of traffic congestion on the existing road network, a large programme of road construction and improvement has been necessary. A total of $29.2 million was spent on major projects and $13.8 million on road improvement and maintenance during the year.

On Hong Kong Island, the Garden Road complex, comprising the duplication of Garden Road with grade separation of cross routes to improve traffic flow between the central business district, mid-levels and the Peak area progressed satisfactorily. Cotton Tree Drive, as the road parallel to Garden Road is now known, was extended to the Helena May Institute and construction of the last stage to Macdonnell Road was started, as was the design of the flyovers required at the Upper Albert Road junction.

Substantial progress was made on the Waterfront Road scheme to provide a high capacity road link between Harcourt Road and King's Road. Construction of the flyovers at Fleming Road, Cause- way Bay, Canal Road and Arsenal Street was under way, whilst the design of the Tsing Fung Street flyover was completed. The new Wan Chai ferry concourse and access road were completed in conjunction with the opening of the new ferry piers..

The re-alignment and widening of certain sections of Pok Fu Lam Road, Kennedy Road and Victoria Road were completed whilst similar work on Stubbs Road and Chai Wan Road was well advanced. Roadworks at Morrison Hill, Brick Hill and areas above Tin Hau Temple Road continued in conjunction with new building development.

In Kowloon, the half-mile long Lai Chi Kok Bridge was completed and opened to traffic in October. The bridge and newly completed Kwai Chung Road provide a fast direct link between western Kowloon and Kwai Chung/Tsuen Wan, thereby relieving congestion on Castle Peak Road with its relatively steep gradients.