Transport Infrastructure |
Existing Road Network At the end of 2002, Hong Kong had 1 924 kilometres of roads and 1 044 road structures, three immersed-tube cross-harbour tunnels, nine road tunnels and three bridges built high above sea level. These facilities provide a comprehensive road network for Hong Kong. Recent major projects completed include: Tsing Ma Control Area (TMCA): the TMCA is a 21-kilometre expressway network comprising the Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Highway, North-West Tsing Yi Interchange, Tsing Yi North Coastal Road, Lantau Link, Ting Kau Bridge, part of the North Lantau Highway as well as Ma Wan Road (opened in late 2002). It has a one-way toll collection arrangement. Vehicles travelling on the Lantau Link are charged twice the single journey toll when they return from Lantau Island or enter Ma Wan. The double toll ranges from $20 to $80 for different types of vehicles. The TMCA is operated and maintained by a private management contractor, and is equipped with an extensive traffic control and surveillance system. The system provides a high degree of automation to regulate traffic flows, to assist in dealing with incidents and to provide useful information to motorists. Tsing Yi North Coastal Road: this is a 2.2-kilometre highway built to dual two-lane trunk road standard linking North-West Tsing Yi Interchange and Tam Kon Shan Interchange, and forming part of the Tsing Ma Control Area; it was completed in January and opened to the public in February. Hiram's Highway Improvement Phase III: this is a realigned 0.7-kilometre single two-lane carriageway linking the Nam Wai and Ho Chung areas to enhance the safety of motorists and the flow of traffic in the two areas; it was substantially completed in July. The work also involves upgrading of local access roads. Existing Tunnels The Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Harbour Crossing, Tate's Cairn Tunnel, Western Harbour Crossing and the Tai Lam Tunnel were built by the private sector under 'Build, Operate and Transfer' franchises. The 1.9-kilometre Cross-Harbour Tunnel connects Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island and Hung Hom in Kowloon. The franchise for the tunnel, which was opened in 1972, ended on August 31, 1999, and the facility was handed back to the Government. With a daily patronage of 120 000 vehicles in 2002, it is one of the world's busiest four-lane road tunnels. The tolls ranged from $8 to $30 for different types of vehicles. The two-kilometre Eastern Harbour Crossing was opened in 1989. It links Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon. A daily average of 73 400 vehicles used the tunnel in 2002. Tolls ranged from $8 to $45. The two-kilometre Western Harbour Crossing is the first six-lane cross-harbour road tunnel in Hong Kong. Opened in 1997, it links Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island and the West Kowloon Reclamation near Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon. It was used by an average of 40 000 vehicles daily in 2002. The tolls, after adjustment on July 31, ranged from $25 to $155. The tunnel company offers concessionary tolls and the actual tolls ranged from $20 to $100. The four-kilometre Tate's Cairn Tunnel, the longest road tunnel in Hong Kong, was opened to traffic in 1991, providing an additional direct road link between the north-eastern New Territories and Kowloon. It was used by an average of 62 700 vehicles daily in 2002. Tolls ranged from $10 to $20. The 3.8-kilometre Tai Lam Tunnel, together with the 6.3-kilometre Yuen Long Approach Road, forms the Route 3 (Country Park section), which extends from Ting Kau to Au Tau. Opened in May 1998, it was used by an average of 44 500 vehicles daily in 2002. Tolls, after adjustment on April 1 2001, ranged from $20 to $90. The tunnel company offers concessionary tolls and the actual tolls ranged from $17 to $75. The 2.4-kilometre Discovery Bay Tunnel Link, which comprises a 630-metre single tube two-way tunnel and a 1 770-metre approach road, is operated and maintained by the Discovery Bay Road Tunnel Company Limited, which also built it. It extends from Discovery Bay through Yi Pak Au to Cheung Tung Road. The tunnel link is only open to Discovery Bay residents' services and goods vehicles providing delivery of goods or a servicing function. Opened in May 2000, the tunnel link was used by an average of 600 vehicles daily in 2002. It has a one-way toll collection arrangement. The vehicles are charged a single journey toll when they enter Discovery Bay. The tolls ranged from $50 to $250. The Government owns seven of the road tunnels (Lion Rock, Aberdeen, Airport, Shing Mun, Tseung Kwan O, Cheung Tsing and Cross-Harbour) which are managed and operated by private companies under management contracts. Tolls are set and monitored by the Government. The use of the Airport Tunnel and the Cheung Tsing Tunnel is free of charge. The 1.4-kilometre Lion Rock Tunnel, linking Kowloon and Sha Tin, began single-tube operation in 1967, with a second tube added in 1978. The tunnel was used by 89 800 vehicles daily in 2002. The toll was $8. The 1.9-kilometre Aberdeen Tunnel, opened in 1982, links the northern and southern parts of Hong Kong Island. It was used by 58 300 vehicles daily in 2002. The toll was $5. The 1.3-kilometre toll-free Airport Tunnel between Hung Hom and Kowloon Bay passes under the former airport site at Kai Tak and was opened in 1982. It was used by 59 400 vehicles daily in 2002. The 2.6-kilometre Shing Mun Tunnels between Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan were opened in 1990. A daily average of 54 600 vehicles paid the $5 toll in 2002. The 900-metre Tseung Kwan O Tunnel, opened in 1990, links Kowloon and the new town at Tseung Kwan O. It was used by 69 200 vehicles daily in 2002. The toll was $3. The 1.6-kilometre toll-free Cheung Tsing Tunnel was opened in 1997 and links Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi. It was used by 84 800 vehicles daily in 2002. Existing Rail Network Railways also form a vital part of Hong Kong's transport network. The rail system comprises a heavily utilised Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system, the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) East Rail which also provides cross-boundary service, a dedicated express rail passenger service connecting the urban areas with the airport (the Airport Express) and the Light Rail (LR). The system now covers about 160 kilometres and has three MTR harbour crossings. There is also a tramway serving as a local distributor on the northern shore of the Hong Kong Island and a funicular tramway running between Central (Garden Road) and the Peak. Railway Projects Under Construction The five railway projects under construction are: * The 30.5-kilometre West Rail that connects West Kowloon with Yuen Long and Tuen Mun. Construction started in September 1998 for completion in 2003. * The 11.4-kilometre Ma On Shan to Tai Wai Rail Link (MOS Rail) that connects the Ma On Shan New Town to the existing KCR East Rail at Tai Wai Station. Construction started in November 2000 for completion in 2004. * The one-kilometre Hung Hom to Tsim Sha Tsui Extension (TST Extension) that extends the KCR East Rail from the existing Hung Hom terminus to a new station at Tsim Sha Tsui East. Construction started in March 2001 for completion in 2004. * The 3.5-kilometre Penny's Bay Rail Link that connects a new Yam O station on the existing MTR Tung Chung Line to Penny's Bay where the Hong Kong Disneyland is being built. Construction started in July 2002 for completion in 2005. * The 7.4-kilometre Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Spur Line) that connects the KCR East Rail at Sheung Shui with a new passenger boundary crossing at Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang. Construction started in October 2002 for completion before mid-2007. Railway Projects Under Planning The seven railway projects under planning are: * The Island Line Extensions that will comprise a new North Hong Kong Island Line (NIL) and a new West Hong Kong Island Line (WIL). The NIL will be an extension of the existing MTR Tung Chung Line eastwards along the north shore of Hong Kong Island to join up with the eastern half of the MTR Island Line (ISL) at Fortress Hill. At the same time, the MTR Tseung Kwan O Line (TKL) will be connected with the ISL's western half at Tin Hau. The WIL will be an extension of the existing ISL from Sheung Wan to Kennedy Town. * The 17-kilometre Shatin to Central Link (SCL) that will be a strategic corridor from the New Territories to Hong Kong Island, via south-eastern Kowloon. The MTRCL and the KCRC submitted bids for the construction and operation of this rail link. The KCRC, which was awarded the project, is firming up the scheme with a view to completing the link by around 2008–09. * The Kowloon Southern Link (KSL) that will connect the KCR East Rail and West Rail at the southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula. Upon completion, passengers will be able to interchange between the East Rail and the West Rail at Hung Hom. The project is in the detailed planning and design stage, with completion envisaged around 2008–09. * The Northern Link that will link the West Rail to the Lok Ma Chau boundary crossing. It will also link up the East Rail and the West Rail to enable passengers to travel more widely in the northern parts of the New Territories. Its implementation will depend on the growth of cross-boundary traffic from the western part of the HKSAR and developments in the north-western New Territories. The situation is being closely monitored. * The Regional Express Line (REL) that will provide a new express connection between the boundary and the urban area for train services to Shenzhen and beyond. It will form part of an express rail link connecting Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, which is destined to shorten the journey time between Hong Kong and Guangzhou to within 60 minutes. A joint expert group comprising representatives from the Mainland and Hong Kong has been formed to study the feasibility of this rail link. * The Port Rail Line (PRL) that will be a freight rail connection from Lo Wu to a new terminal at Kwai Chung. The PRL will allow freight from the deep hinterland of the Mainland (i.e. beyond the Pearl River Delta) to have access to the container port at Kwai Chung. Its implementation depends on cross-boundary freight build-up. The KCRC is studying the viability of the project. * The South Hong Kong Line (SIL) that links up the northern and southern parts of Hong Kong Island. The Government is assessing the need for this rail link, and its viability. Road Projects Under Construction To improve the traffic capacity at the Fo Tan and Sui Wo areas in Sha Tin, construction works to widen the existing Fo Tan Road between Yuen Wo Street and Kwei Tei Street started in December 1999 for completion in early 2003. The Tolo Highway between Island House Interchange and Ma Liu Shui Interchange is being widened to dual four-lane carriageway standard, with the works due to be completed in mid-2003. In Ma On Shan, to cope with future growth in traffic demand, the Sai Sha Road section between Kam Ying Road and the junction with Trunk Road T7 at Sha On Street is being widened to dual two-lane standard; work started in August 2002 for completion in 2005. In Tsim Sha Tsui, in order to improve the traffic capacity at the junction of Salisbury Road and Chatham Road South, construction of a dual two-lane underpass along Salisbury Road started in March 2001 for completion in 2004. The work also involves widening of the Salisbury Road section between Wing On Plaza and Canton Road. Construction of the Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan section of Route 9, connecting the West Kowloon Highway and the North-West Tsing Yi Interchange and providing access to the Container Terminals 8 and 9, started in April 2002. Construction of the Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin section of Route 9 began in November. Both sections are scheduled for completion in 2007. Construction of the dual three-lane Chok Ko Wan Link Road (Penny's Bay section) began in August 2002 for completion in August 2005. To cope with future growth in traffic demand in the eastern districts of Hong Kong Island and to ease traffic congestion near the Eastern Harbour Crossing, improvement works to the Island Eastern Corridor section between the North Point Interchange and Sai Wan Ho started in July 2000 for completion in 2003. Road Projects Under Planning Several strategic road projects are under study and design with the aim of further expanding and improving the road network. The Shenzhen Western Corridor is an additional cross-boundary link between Shekou in Shenzhen and Ngau Hom Shek in Hong Kong. The new crossing is intended to relieve the traffic burden on the existing three boundary road crossings. The planned road is a five-kilometre dual three-lane highway, of which 3.2 kilometres are within the HKSAR. The Deep Bay Link is a 5.4-kilometre approach road connecting the Shenzhen Western Corridor with the Yuen Long Highway at Lam Tei. The road is planned as a dual three-lane trunk road providing access to the Shenzhen Western Corridor and the Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area in the north-western New Territories. The existing Yuen Long Highway is a dual two-lane corridor between Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. To cope with the anticipated growth in traffic, it is proposed to widen the 6.7-kilometre section of the Yuen Long Highway between Lam Tei and Shap Pat Heung Interchange from dual-two to dual-three lanes. Planning is under way for upgrading the existing Tung Chung Road to a two-lane rural road. This would replace the previously proposed Lantau North South Road Link between Tai Ho Wan and Mui Wo, which was found to have an unacceptable environmental impact. Other major road projects under planning include the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link, Route 7 between Aberdeen and Kennedy Town, and Route 10 between the Yuen Long Highway and North Lantau. Road Opening Works Besides serving as carriageways for vehicles and pedestrians, roads also accommodate various utility services, such as water and gas mains, sewers and electricity and telephone cables. To cope with the increasing demand for utility services and maintenance work, utility companies often have to excavate the carriageways and footpaths to lay more pipes, cables and ducts, and to carry out repair work. There were about 141 new road openings each day in 2002. Road openings are coordinated and controlled by the Highways Department through a permit system, under which utility companies are required to carry out work to a required standard and within a time limit. To coordinate and monitor road opening works more effectively and to minimise traffic disruption, the Highways Department has established a three-tier communication system with participants ranging from high level management to working level staff of utility companies and relevant government departments. A computerised utility management system has been used since 1997 to further improve coordination and minimise inconvenience to road users. |