ENG-1995 — Page 277

TRANSPORT

230

The department's budget for the financial year ending March 1996 totals $9,359 million, of which $8,717 million is for major highway construction, and $642 million for road and public lighting maintenance work.

Strategic Road Network

The spine of the strategic road network is Route 1, which runs from Aberdeen on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island, and cuts through Kowloon peninsula and the New Territories to the Lok Ma Chau border crossing point.

On Hong Kong Island, Route 8 runs along the northern shore from the Cross- Harbour Tunnel, via the Island Eastern Corridor, to Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan in the east. Route 7 stretches westwards from the Cross-Harbour Tunnel along the northern shore, via Gloucester Road, Harcourt Road and Connaught Road to Hill Road at Kennedy Town.

On the mainland, Route 2 runs from the Kowloon Bay Reclamation, through the Airport Tunnel, via the East and West Kowloon Corridors, Tsuen Wan Road, Tuen Mun Road and Yuen Long Southern Bypass to the junction of Castle Peak Road and Lok Ma Chau Border Link Road.

Route 4 runs along the base of the foothills separating Kowloon from the New Territories, and connects Lai Chi Kok with Kwun Tong and extends to Tseung Kwan O via the Tseung Kwan O Tunnel.

Route 5, another strategic road, is a seven-kilometre, two-way trunk road con- necting Sha Tin with Tsuen Wan, via the Shing Mun Tunnel. It forms part of the New Territories Circular Road System.

Route 6 covers the Eastern Harbour Crossing, Kwun Tong Bypass, Tate's Cairn Tunnel and the approach road linking Tate's Cairn Tunnel to the Tolo Highway.

Improvements to Major Road Networks

To cater for the traffic demand between Western District and the upgraded Connaught Road, the construction of the Belcher Bay Link started in May 1993. It should be completed in January 1998 and will be a dual carriageway on the new reclamation in Belcher Bay.

To provide a direct access between Sai Ying Pun and Pok Fu Lam Road, work on the Smithfield Extension started in February 1995. It will link Kennedy Town with Pok Fu Lam Road and is scheduled for completion in June 1997.

The construction of the Yau Ma Tei Section of the West Kowloon Corridor began in phases from mid-1992 to improve traffic in the Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei area. Phase I works, involving an extension along Ferry Street and the construction of a 700-metre flyover along Tong Mi Road and Ferry Street, will be completed by early 1996. Phase II works, involving the associated footbridge and subway system, will be ready by mid-1997.

The Lung Cheung Road and Ching Cheung Road Improvements started in July 1994. The works include the widening of Ching Cheung Road and the section of Lung Cheung Road between Ching Cheung Road and Lion Rock Tunnel Road from dual two-lane to dual three-lane. When completed, in mid-1997, it will improve the Route 4 link between the eastern Kowloon peninsula and the new airport.