For discussion PWSC(96-97)37
on 10 July 1996
ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 706 - HIGHWAYS
Transport - Roads
541TH - Improvement to Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan
Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee to upgrade 541TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $379.24 million in money-of-the-day prices for the improvement of Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan.
The section of Castle Peak Road between Siu Lam and So Kwun Tan cannot cope with the increasing vehicular and pedestrian traffic flows.
2. The Director of Highways (DHy), with the support of the Secretary for Transport, proposes to upgrade 541TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $379.24 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices for the improvement of Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan.
3. The scope of the project comprises -
- realignment and widening of a 2.5-kilometre long section of Castle Peak Road between Siu Lam and So Kwun Tan from single two-lane (7.3 metres wide) to dual two-lane (14.6 metres wide) with footpaths 3.5 metres wide on both sides of the road;
- construction of a 7.3-metre wide vehicular bridge over So Kwun Wat River;
- construction of a footbridge near Fiona Garden;
- associated slope works, retaining walls, drainage and landscaping works;
- reconstruction of the existing carriageway and footways; and
- installation of noise barriers and indirect noise mitigation measures.
4. The existing Castle Peak Road between Siu Lam and So Kwun Tan is a single two-lane carriageway with a width of 7.3 metres. In October 1994, the Director of Highways carried out a local traffic study to obtain traffic forecasts for this section of Castle Peak Road. The peak hour traffic flow then was 1 200 vehicles per hour for two directions. This exceeds the design flow of 800 vehicles per hour for two directions. The peak traffic flow will increase to 2 550 and 2 850 vehicles per hour for two directions by 2006 and 2011 respectively as a result of developments along Castle Peak Road. We therefore need to upgrade the road to a dual two-lane carriageway. The standard design flow of a dual two-lane carriageway is 5 600 vehicles per hour for two directions. This will be adequate to meet the future traffic demand.
5. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $379.24 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 6 below), made up as follows -
|
$ million
|
|
(a) Roadworks including retaining walls, slope works and drainage works
|
106.77
|
|
(b) Vehicular bridge
|
9.61
|
|
(c) Footbridge
|
9.70
|
|
(d) Landscaping and watermain diversion works
|
26.11
|
|
(e) Consultants fees for design review, tender assessment and construction stage
|
5.93
|
|
(f) Resident site staff costs
|
29.78
|
|
(g) Noise barriers
|
69.21
|
|
(h) Indirect noise mitigation measures
|
11.45
|
|
(i) Contingencies
|
26.80
|
|
Sub-total
(at December 1995 prices)
|
295.36
|
|
(j) Inflation allowance
|
83.88
|
|
Total
(in MOD prices)
|
379.24
|
A breakdown of the consultants fees including resident site staff costs is at Enclosure.
6. Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure as follows -
|
Year
|
$ million
(Dec 1995)
|
Price
adjustment
factor
|
$ million
(MOD)
|
|
1996 - 97
|
15.77
|
1.07500
|
16.95
|
|
1997 - 98
|
95.70
|
1.18250
|
113.17
|
|
1998 - 99
|
114.60
|
1.30075
|
149.07
|
|
1999 - 2000
|
61.47
|
1.43083
|
87.95
|
|
2000 - 01
|
7.82
|
1.54708
|
12.10
|
|
295.36
|
|
379.24
|
7. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government's forecasts of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1996 to 2001. We will tender the works under a standard remeasurement contract because the extent of foundation works for the bridges and noise barriers and the quantities of earthworks and slope protective works depend on actual site conditions. The contract will provide for adjustments to the tender price due to inflation because the contract period extends beyond 21 months.
8. We estimate the additional annually recurrent expenditure arising from the proposed works to be $3.5 million.
9. We consulted the Traffic and Transport Committee and the Environmental Improvement & District Development Committee of the Tuen Mun District Board on 15 June 1993 and 18 May 1995 respectively. Both Committees supported the implementation of this project.
10. We gazetted the road improvement works under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance on 8 June 1995 and received seven objections. Details of the objections are as follows -
- one objector requested compensation for crops affected by the road improvement works and for the reprovisioning of the existing fencing to avoid trespassing on her land. We have informed her that she may claim compensation under Section 29 of the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance upon authorisation of the works and the Director of Highways has agreed to reprovision the existing fencing for her. She subsequently withdrew her objection;
- one objector requested Government to retain his store which is to be cleared. The store is situated on a Short Term Tenancy site. We have explained to him that he may apply for the regranting of a portion of the site after completion of the road and slope stabilisation work. The objector subsequently withdrew his objection;
- two of the objectors requested Government to resume entire lots not affected by the project. As it is against Government policy to resume more land than is required for a project, we did not accede to their requests. They refused to withdraw their objections;
- one objector requested compensation for her property which she had erected on government land covered by a Government Land Licence. We have informed her that we would not compensate for the removal of property on government land except for crops affected. The objector refused to withdraw her objection;
- one objector sought compensation of about $2 million for the removal/relocation of his ancestors graves on fung shui grounds. We did not accede to his request as this amount far exceeded the level which the Director of Lands considered appropriate. The objector refused to withdraw his objection;
- the Incorporated Owners of Castle Peak Villas proposed some modifications to the project and we have incorporated a few of them into the project. In this connection, there is still one objection unresolved. The objector in question disagreed with the proposed indirect noise mitigation measure along the section of the improved road in front of Castle Peak Villas and counter-proposed the provision of a noise barrier. However, the Noise Impact Assessment (NIA) Study conducted by consultants (see paragraph 12 below) indicated that due to the close proximity to Tuen Mun Road the overall noise level at the receiver concerned would still exceed the standard stipulated in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines even with the provision of noise barriers. The study recommended that the residents should be provided with noise insulation as a remedial measure (see paragraphs 13 to 14). Although we have explained to the objector the reasons for our recommendation, he refused to withdraw his objection.
11. In June 1996, the Governor-in-Council over-ruled the objections mentioned in paragraph 10(c) to (f) above in the public interest.
12. We engaged consultants to carry out an NIA to assess the potential construction and operational noise impacts which the project would generate. The NIA indicated that, by the year 2011, many of the existing residents along Castle Peak Road would be exposed to traffic noise exceeding the standards laid down in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines as a result of the improved road scheme. The NIA recommended that we should erect noise barriers 610 metres long with heights up to 5 metres, and 250 metres long partial noise enclosures at five locations along the western section (So Kwun Tan to Tai Lam Village) of the improved road to alleviate the noise impact. The Advisory Council on the Environment endorsed the NIA in August 95.
13. Due to local topographical features and the close proximity to Tuen Mun Road, direct technical remedies such as barriers and partial enclosures will be ineffective in reducing the overall noise levels at the eastern section (Tai Lam Village to Siu Lam Interchange) and some premises along the western section.
14. In the absence of further scope to reduce traffic noise levels by direct technical remedies, the Director of Highways recommended the provision of indirect technical remedies in the form of window insulation and air-conditioners to about 600 dwellings that would be eligible for equitable redress along the entire section of Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan. In November 1995, the Governor-in-Council approved this proposal. We estimate the capital cost of providing all direct and indirect mitigation measures to be about $81 million.
15. With regard to short term impact, the Director of Highways will control dust, noise and site run-off nuisances during construction in compliance with established guidelines/standards through the implementation of mitigation measures and environmental monitoring and auditing programmes in the relevant contracts.
16. We shall resume 11 601 square metres of agricultural land and 801 square metres of building and residential land. The clearance will affect 87 households. The Director of Housing will offer these families accommodation in public housing or temporary housing areas in line with existing policy. We will charge the land acquisition and clearance costs estimated at $67 million to Head 701 - Land Acquisition.
17. We included this project in Category B in 1994.
18. We envisage that the works will have no significant impact on existing traffic along Castle Peak Road as we shall maintain traffic flows in both directions during construction.
19. We have completed the detailed design and preparation of tender documents using in-house resources. We will engage consultants to carry out the construction supervision. We plan to start the works in November 1996 for completion in February 1999.
Enclosure to PWSC (96-97)37
Breakdown of estimates for consultants fees
|
Consultants staff costs
|
|
Estimated
man
months
|
Average
MPS
salary
point
|
Multiplier
factor
|
Estimated
fee
($ million)
|
|
(a) Review design and
tender assessment
|
Professional
Technical
|
4
12
|
40
16
|
3.0
3.0
|
0.62
0.62
|
|
(b) Administration of contract
|
Professional
Technical
|
21
28
|
40
16
|
3.0
3.0
|
3.24
1.45
|
|
(c) Site supervision by
resident site staff
employed by the
consultant
|
Professional
Technical
|
45
687
|
40
16
|
2.1
2.1
|
4.86
24.92
|
|
Total consultants staff costs
|
35.71
|
Notes
- A multiplier factor of 3 is applied to the average MPS point to arrive at the full staff costs including the consultants overheads and profit, as the staff will be employed in the consultants offices. (At 1.4.95, MPS pt. 40 = $51,440 p.m. and MPS pt. 16 = $17,270 p.m.). A multiplier factor of 2.1 is applied in the case of site staff supplied by the consultant.
- The figures given above are based on estimates prepared by the Director of Highways. We will only know the actual man months and actual fees when we have selected the consultant through the usual competitive lump sum fee bid system.
| Department (Code) : | Highways Department
|
Programme Number/
Name of Project : | 541TH/B - Improvement to Castle Peak Road from
Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan
|
| Target Completion Date : | December 1998
|
| Price/pay Level : | December 1995 |
| Cost | Annual Recurrent
$
|
| 1 | Staff Costs
|
| (a) HyD | 424,000
|
| (b) DSD | 102,000
|
| (c) TD | 273,000
|
| (2) | Light & Power | 158,000
|
| (3) | Administration | NIL
|
| (4) | Stores & Equipment | NIL
|
| (5) | Transport & Travelling | NIL
|
| (6) | Specialist Supplies & Equipment | NIL
|
| (7) | Recurrent Subventions | NIL
|
| (8) | Repairs & Maintenance
|
| (a) road works (HyD) | 1,414,000
|
| (b) footbridge (HyD) | 12,000
|
| (c) vehicular bridge (HyD) | 59,000
|
| (d) noise barriers (HyD) | 1,635,000
|
| (e) drainage (DSD) | 272,000
|
| (9) | Other Recurrent Cost | 5,000
|
| (10) | Total Annual Recurrent Cost | 4,354,000
|
| (11) | Less : Savings from superseded asset
|
| Staff Cost | 177,000
|
| Light and Power | 128,000
|
| Repairs and Maintenance | 591,000
|
| (12) | Net Increase in Cost | 3,458,000
|
| (13) | Additional Revenue generated | NIL
|
| (14) | Basis of staff cost calculation:
|
| Staff Cost: 30% of repairs and maintenance costs for roads and bridges;
0.6% of capital cost for drainage works maintained by DSD;
$3,161 per km for street lighting for dual 2 carriageway; and
$6,26 per sq. m for recurrent cost of TD
|
| (15) | Expected phasing of the full annual cost identified in (10) above until full utilization is achieved | NIL
|
| (16) | Cost of initial supplies of store and equipment | NIL
|
Date : March 1996
Prepared by : T S K LAI Tel No. : 2762 3593
Last Updated on 8 December 1998
