PWSC(97-98)126
For discussion
on 17 February 1998
ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS
SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 706 - HIGHWAYS
Transport - Roads
694TH - Route 16 from West Kowloon to Sha Tin
Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee -
- to upgrade part of 694TH, entitled "Route 16 from West Kowloon to Sha Tin - detailed design" to Category A, at an estimated cost of $263.0 million in money-of-the-day prices; and
- to retain the remainder of 694TH in Category B.
PROBLEM
The existing road network between Sha Tin and Kowloon is unable to cope with the future traffic demand between the two areas.
PROPOSAL
2. The Director of Highways, with the support of the Secretary for Transport, proposes to upgrade part of 694TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $263.0 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices to engage consultants to undertake the detailed design of the proposed Route 16 from West Kowloon to Sha Tin.
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
3. The scope of works for the Route 16 project includes -
- two sections of twin bore dual three-lane tunnels of 2.6 kilometres and 900 metres in length respectively, between West Kowloon and Sha Tin, including ventilation and lighting systems;
- a 700-metre dual two-lane viaduct leading to West Kowloon Highway at Lai Wan iInterchange and slip road connections to Ching Cheung Road and Castle Peak Road;
- a 700-metre dual two-lane carriageway leading to Trunk Road T3 and single lane slip road connections to Che Kung Miu Road at Tai Wai;
- traffic control and surveillance systems for the tunnels and viaduct;
- a toll plaza with 19 toll booths and buildings for administration, services and ancillary uses; and
- associated noise mitigation, geotechnical, landscape and drainage works.
4. The part of the project we now propose to upgrade to Category A comprises -
- theconsultants' fees for detailed design for the proposed Route 16, and
- associated site investigations.
JUSTIFICATION
5. At present, existing trunk roads between Sha Tin and the urban area are already operating above their capacities during peak hours as shown by the volume/capacity (V/C) ratios1
below -
|
Sha Tin-bound (evening peak)
|
Kowloon-bound or Tsuen Wan-bound (morning peak) |
|
Lion Rock Tunnel
|
1.28
|
1.31 |
|
Tate's Cairn Tunnel
|
1.18
|
1.22 |
|
Shing Mun Tunnel
|
1.04
|
1.23 |
6. The 1992 Updating of the Second Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS-2) also forecasted that, even with the commissioning of the Country Park Section of Route 3 in mid 1998, the average morning peak V/C ratio of the existing roads (including Tai Po Road) between Sha Tin and Kowloon will be 1.2 in 2001. As we anticipate that the traffic conditions on these existing roads will continue to deteriorate, it is necessary to provide an alternative north-south strategic link between Sha Tin and Kowloon as a relief.
7. The proposed Route 16 will link up Tai Wai in Sha Tin and Lai Chi Kok in West Kowloon and will help to improve the traffic condition of the main routes between Sha Tin and the urban area. We propose to use consultants to undertake the detailed design of the route as we do not have the necessary in-house staff resources.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
8. We estimate the total capital cost of this part of the project to be $263.0 million in MOD prices, made up as follows -
|
|
$ million
|
|
|
(a) Consultants' fees
|
|
126.2
|
|
|
(i) detailed design
|
121.6
|
|
|
|
(ii) supervision of site investigations
|
4.6
|
|
|
|
(b) Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund (EMSTF) charges
|
|
9.0
|
|
|
(c) Site investigations
|
|
45.0
|
|
|
(d)d) Contingencies
|
|
18.0
|
|
|
|
______
|
|
|
Sub-total
|
|
198.2
|
(at December
1996 prices) |
|
(e) Inflation allowance
|
|
64.8
|
|
|
|
______
|
|
|
Total
|
|
263.0
|
(in MOD prices) |
|
|
______
|
|
9. We will award the consultancy on a lump sum basis with provisions for inflation adjustment as the duration of the consultancy will exceed 12 months. This is the normal form of agreement we now use to engage consultants to undertake detailed design work. A breakdown by man-months of the estimate for consultants' fees is at the the Enclosure.
10. Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure as follows -
|
Year
|
$ million
(Dec 1996)
|
Price
adjustment
factor
|
$ million
(MOD) |
|
1998 - 1999
|
32.0
|
1.16358
|
37.2 |
|
1999 - 2000
|
67.0
|
1.26830
|
85.0 |
|
2000 - 2001
|
70.0
|
1.38244
|
96.8 |
|
2001 - 2002
|
29.2
|
1.50686
|
44.0 |
|
_____
|
|
_____ |
|
198.2
|
|
263.0 |
|
_____
|
|
_____ |
11. The proposed detailed design has no annually recurrent financial implications.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
12. We have consulted the Traffic and Transport Committee and Environmental Committee of the Sham Shui Po Provisional District Board, the Kwai Tsing Provisional District Board and the Country Parks Committee of the Marine and Country Parks Board and received their support on the project. In our presentation of the project to the Sha Tin Provisional District Board (STPDB) on 23 January 1998, members asked for additional information on the traffic and environmental aspects. We intend to consult the STPDB with additional information in March 1998. In addition, we plan to consult the Provisional Urban Council and the Provisional Regional Council in mid 1998. We will incorporate their views in the detailed design of the project.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
13. The proposed consultancy will not have any adverse environmental implications. As part of an earlier investigation assignment under 699TH - 'Route 16 from West Kowloon to Sha Tin - investigations', we completed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to identify, predict and assess the potential environmental impacts arising from the project. The EIA has recommended the necessary environmental mitigation measures during construction and operational phases of the project to control the impacts to within the established standards. We shall incorporate the recommended measures in the detailed design.
14. We consulted the Environmental Impact Assessment Subcommittee of the Advisory Council on the Environment on 9 February 1998 about the environmental aspects of the project and obtained its endorsement.
LAND ACQUISITION
15. The proposed detailed design does not involve anyrequire land acquisition.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
16. We upgraded 694TH to Category B in October 1996.
17. On 21 March 1997, the Finance Committee approved to upgrade part of this project as 699TH at an estimated cost of $15.5 million in MOD prices to fund the initial detailed investigations which include the preliminary design and various impact assessment studies. We have substantially completed these detailed investigations.
18. We plan schedule to commence the detailed design for completion in May 2001. We intend to commence construction of Route 16 in mid 2001 for completion in late 2004.
Transport Bureau
February 1998
(KK281)
1.The capacity here refers to the design capacity of the road. A V/C ratio equal to or less than 1.0 means that the road has sufficient capacity to cope with the volume of vehicular traffic under consideration and the resultant traffic will flow smoothly. A V/C ratio above 1.0 indicates the onset of congestion; above 1.2 indicates more serious congestion with traffic speeds progressively deteriorating with further increase in traffic.
Enclosure to PWSC(97-98)126
694TH - Route 16 from West Kowloon to Sha Tin
Breakdown of estimates for consultants' fees (at December 1996 prices)
|
(A) Consultant's' staff costs
|
|
Estimated
man
months
|
Average
MPS*
salary
point
|
Multiplier
factor
|
Estimated
fee
($ million) |
|
(a) Design (including detailed design, preparation of contract documents and assessment of tenders)
|
Professional
Technical
|
445
855
|
40
16
|
3.0
3.0
|
73.9
47.7 |
|
(b) Supervision of site investigations
|
Professional
Technical
|
24
45
|
40
16
|
2.1
2.1
|
2.8
1.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
______ |
|
Total consultants' staff costs
|
126.2 |
|
(B) Charges by EMSTF (including checking consultants' submissions and providing technical advice to the Government)
|
|
|
|
|
9.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
______ |
|
135.2 |
|
Out-of-pocket expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) Site investigations
|
|
|
|
|
45.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
______ |
|
Total out-of-pocket expenses
|
180.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
______ |
* MPS = Master pay scale
Notes
1. 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 1.4.96, MPS pt. 40 = $55,390 p.m. and MPS pt. 16 = $18,595 p.m.) A multiplier factor of 2.1 is applied in the case of site staff supplied by the consultants.
2. Out-of-pocket expenses are the actual costs incurred. The consultant is not entitled to any additional payment for overheads profit in respect of these items.
3. 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.
4. Since the establishment of EMSTF on 1 August 1996 under the Trading Funds Ordinance, government departments are charged for design and technical consultancy services for electrical and mechanical installations provided by the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD). The services rendered for this project include checking consultants' submissions on all E&M installations and providing technical advice to the Government on all E&M works and their impact on the project. The figures above are based on estimates prepared by the Director of Highways. The actual cost for the service change is subject to further negotiation between the Government and the EMSD.
(KK281)
