LegCo Panel on Transport
Opening of the Western Harbour Crossing and the Lantau Link
Purpose
This paper describes the traffic arrangements for the opening of the Western Harbour Crossing and the Lantau Link.
Background
2. To serve the airport and port developments on the western part of the territory, a number of new strategic roads as shown on Plan A are being commissioned. These includes:-
- the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC);
- the approach roads to the WHC comprising the West Kowloon Expressway, the Kwai Chung Viaduct and the section of Route 7 from Sheung Wan to Belcher Bay; and
- the transport corridor to North Lantau consisting of the Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi sections of Route 3, the Lantau Link and the North Lantau Expressway.
Western Harbour Crossing
3. The WHC is scheduled for opening on 30 April 1997. This is three months ahead of the original schedule. It is expected that the WHC would carry about 2,100 vehicles in one direction during the peak hour in the initial period of operation. New high capacity roads are provided at both ends of the Tunnel. These include the Rumsey Street Flyover and Route 7 between Sheung Wan and Belcher Bay at its southern end, and the West Kowloon Expressway at its northern end. The adjacent road networks are also enhanced by a number of traffic management measures and road improvement projects, as described below.
Traffic Measures on Hong Kong Side
4. The following traffic management and road improvement schemes, as shown on Plan B, have been or are being implemented in phases to enhance the road network capacity :-
(a) Projects already completed
- Belcher Bay Link
- Victoria Road/Cadogan Street junction widening scheme
- Rockhill Street Extension and associated traffic management scheme Stage II in Kennedy Town
- Pedestrian subway and junction improvement at Pok Fu Lam Road/ Pokfield Road
- Pok Fu Lam Road widening Stage V, Part II (section between University of Hong Kong western entrance and Pokfield Road).
(b) Project to be completed before the WHC opening
(c) Projects to be completed after the WHC opening
- Victoria Road improvement Stage II, Phase I (to be completed in September 1997)
- Kennedy Town traffic management measures Stage III (to be completed in late 1997)
- Smithfield Extension (to be completed in December 1997)
5. It is expected that the traffic demand generated by the WHC would build up gradually in the initial period of its operation. As such, with the completion of the six road improvement schemes listed in 4(a) and (b), the alternative routes between the WHC and Pok Fu Lam via Western Street, Pokfield Road, Hill Road Flyover, and Water Street would be able to absorb the anticipated additional traffic. Barring unforeseen circumstances, traffic congestion is not expected in the Western District by the time WHC opens. The completion of the three remaining road improvement projects by the end of 1997 will provide additional road capacity to cater for the needs of the motorists travelling between the Western and Southern Districts. Transport Department will closely monitor the traffic condition and fine tune the traffic management measures as required.
Traffic Measures on Kowloon Side
6. On Kowloon side, the following traffic management schemes and road projects, as highlighted in Plan C, have been or are being implemented to enhance the capacity of the road network adjacent to the WHC:-
(a) Projects already completed
- Jordan Road Extension (Road D11)
- A new northbound road in the West Kowloon reclamation area (Road P1 N/B)
(b) Projects to be completed before the WHC opening
- A new southbound road in the West Kowloon reclamation area (Road P1 S/B)
- Waterloo Road Extension (Road D9), Kansu Street Extension (Road D10) and Road D1B (new road in West Kowloon Reclamation)
- Widening of Ferry Street and Canton Road between Man Ying Street and Canton Road Government Offices
- Provision of an additional right-turning movement from Jordan Road to Ferry Street at Canton Road
(c) Project to be completed after the WHC opening
- Road SR4 and associated roads to provide a parallel route to Jordan Road Extension (Road D11) (to be completed in June 1997).
7. Prior to the completion of Road SR4 in June 1997, Tsim Sha Tsui bound traffic from the WHC will be directed to use Jordan Road Extension (Road D11) and right-turn at Canton Road southbound. The junction of Jordan Road/Ferry Street/Canton Road would be able to cope with the demand in the initial period of operation and will be closely monitored.
8. As part and parcel of these new road improvement works and traffic measures, some 200 directional signs in the urban areas have been added or modified in order to give motorists clear guidance on the access routes to the WHC. New tunnel logos, which will classify the three cross-harbour tunnels into East, Central and West thereby giving motorists a better indication of the access routes, have been incorporated into a number of directional signs and will be unveiled upon the WHC opening. The traffic routes to and from the WHC are shown on Plans D and E.
Lantau Link
9. The Lantau Link (LL) is scheduled to open on 22 May 1997 together with the North Lantau Expressway. It comprises the Tsing Ma Bridge, the Kap Shui Mun Bridge and the Ma Wan Viaduct. It is double decked and has six lanes for road traffic on the upper deck and two railway tracks together with two road lanes for emergency use on the sheltered lower deck. The traffic routes to and from the LL, at its opening in May 1997, are shown on Plan F.
10. Prior to the opening of the new airport in April 1998, the Lantau Link will serve Tung Chung New Town and the construction traffic of the new airport only. It is expected to carry a very light traffic volume of about 200 vehicles per direction during the peak hour. It is therefore anticipated that the opening of LL will not cause traffic problems in the Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung areas. The Ting Kau Bridge is scheduled for completion towards the end of 1997. This will provide relief to the traffic situation on Tsuen Wan Road when the new Airport opens in 1998 by diverting some North West New Territories traffic to this alternative route.
Transport Branch
>April 1997
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