PWSC(97-98)81
For discussion
on 26 November 1997


ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS
SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 706 - HIGHWAYS
Transport - Roads
573TH - Victoria Road improvements, stage 2, phase 2

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 573TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $209.1 million in money-of-the-day prices for improving two sections of Victoria Road between Sassoon Road and Pokfulam Road.

PROBLEM

We need to improve two sections of Victoria Road between Sassoon Road and Pokfulam Road to provide for better safety and a higher capacity to meet traffic demands.

PROPOSAL

2.The Director of Highways, with the support of the Secretary for Transport, proposes to upgrade 573TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $209.1 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices for the road improvement works.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3.The scope of the project comprises -

  1. realignment and widening of a 500-metre section of Victoria Road at the north of its junction with the link road leading to Lower Baguio Villa into a single two-lane carriageway 7.3 metres wide on the straight section and 7.9 metres wide on bends;

  2. realignment and widening of a 1.4-kilometre section of Victoria Road at the south of its junction with the link road leading to Upper Baguio Villa, into a single two-lane carriageway 7.3 metres wide on straight sections and 7.9 metres wide on bends;

  3. construction of two single two-lane link roads to Wah King Street, each 60 metres long and 7.3 metres wide;

  4. construction of a 400-metre viaduct at a sharp bend to straighten the road;

  5. construction of footpaths 2.75 metres wide on both sides of the road sections under consideration and 9 bus bays;

  6. associated slope works and retaining structures; and

  7. ancillary traffic aids, street lighting, landscaping, road reconstruction and drainage improvement works.

JUSTIFICATION

4.With the Western Harbour Crossing now in operation and the gradual completion of various improvements1 to the road network in Kennedy Town, Victoria Road will play an increasingly important role as a secondary distributor connecting the western and southern districts. At present, the road is substandard along most part of the two road sections between Sassoon Road and Pokfulam Road. It is narrow, tortuous and without footpaths for most part of its length. The substandard conditions endanger both pedestrians and vehicles using the road.

5.We therefore need to realign and widen the two road sections with provision of footpaths on both sides. We will also provide nine bus bays along the two road sections. With these improvements, we will enhance the road safety and capacity to meet future traffic demands.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

6.We estimate the cost of the works to be $209.1 million in MOD prices, made up as follows :

$ million
(a) Road and drainage works, including footpaths and bus bays

 46.6
(b) Slope works and retaining structures

 66.3
(c) Viaduct

 12.3
(d) Traffic aids, street lighting and landscaping

 3.8
(e) Consultants' fees for construction stage

 3.8
(f) Resident site staff costs

 16.2
(g) Contingencies

 14.8
Sub-total163.8(at
December
1996
prices)
(h) Inflation allowance

45.3
Total209.1(in
MOD
prices)

A breakdown by man months of the estimate for consultants' fees and resident site staff expenses is at the Enclosure.

7.Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure as follows :

Year $ million
(Dec 1996)		 Price
Adjustment
Factor 		$ million
(MOD)
1998 - 1999 52.4 1.16358 61.0
1999 - 2000 62.9 1.26830 79.8
2000 - 2001 41.8 1.38244 57.8
2001 - 2002 3.4 1.50686 5.1
2002 - 2003 3.3 1.64248 5.4
Total163.8209.1

8.We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government's forecasts of trend labour and construction for the period 1998 to 2003. We will tender the works under a lump sum contract because we can clearly define the scope of works in advance, leaving little room for uncertainty. The contract will provide for adjustments to the tender price due to inflation because the contract period will exceed 21 months.

9.We estimate the additional annually recurrent expenditure to be $435,580.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

10.We consulted the Traffic and Transport Committee of the Southern District Board at a meeting on 15 July 1996 on the proposed works. The Committee supported the proposal and urged for early implementation of the project.

11.We gazetted the proposed works under the Roads (Works, Use & Compensation) Ordinance on 3 January 1997 and received no objections.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

12.We completed an environmental impact assessment (EIA) in 1987, as part of the Preliminary Feasibility Study2 for Stage 2 of the Victoria Road improvements. Based on the latest information available for noise sensitive developments in the vicinity and the updated traffic volume prediction for the proposed road improvements, we completed a Review in November 1997 on the previous EIA findings. The Review confirmed that only the Pok Fu Lam Fire Services Officers Married Quarters facing Victoria Road would be exposed to noise levels higher than the allowable limit. Due to the prevailing site constraints, the Review confirmed that provision of direct noise mitigation measures along the proposed road improvements are impractical3 . The Review therefore recommended to provide indirect noise mitigation measures in the form of air-conditioning and window insulation to the 29 affected units in the Pok Fu Lam Fire Services Officers Married Quarters at an estimated cost of $0.7 million.

13.For short-term impact, we will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances during construction through implementation of mitigation measures in the works contract. We will also implement a comprehensive planting scheme to reduce visual impact due to any landscape change by the improvement works.

LAND ACQUISITION

14.We shall resume4 173 square metres, and create a right of temporary occupation to 215 square metres, of building land at Victoria Road without affecting any households or persons. The Director of Lands confirmed that all land required for this project will be available in March 1998.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

15.We completed Stage 1 of Victoria Road improvements at a cost of $58.29 million in late 1991 under 23TH - " Victoria Road improvement, stage I " for the section between Sandy Bay Road and Telegraph Bay. We commenced 201TH - " Victoria Road improvements, Stage 2 Phase 1 - section between Mt. Davis Road and Sandy Bay Road " in September 1995 for completion by April 1998 at an estimated cost of $146.7 million in MOD prices. We also completed in April 1997 part of the Stage 2 Phase 2 improvement works to Victoria Road at a cost of $3.0 million through the Category D item 6A02TH - " Improvement to junction of Victoria Road and Pok Fu Lam Road " .

16.In September 1995, we included the Phase 2 of Stage 2 improvement works on Victoria Road in Category B as 573TH. We have completed the detailed design for the project and plan to start works in April 1998 for completion in September 2000. We will also commence the installation of indirect noise mitigation measures5 to the affected government building when the traffic noise built up on site reaches the limits stipulated in the HKPSG.

17.To minimize disruption to traffic, we will carry out the works in stages, on a lane-by-lane basis. We will operate two-way traffic in one lane by means of automatic traffic light signals and using manual controls at peak hours to operate these traffic signals. We will also allow only three construction zones (each not more than 100 metres long) at any one time, with a minimum distance of 500 metres apart. With the above traffic management measures, we will maintain adequate road capacities at all time during construction.


Transport Bureau
November 1997

(HH585)

1. The on-going or recently completed road improvement projects in Kennedy Town include : 201TH - " Victoria Road improvements, stage 2 phase 1 - section between Mt. Davis Road and Sandy Bay Road " , 412TH - " Kennedy Town traffic management measures, stage 3 " , 503TH - " Belcher Bay Link " , 549TH - " Rock Hill Street Extension and stage 2 of Kennedy Town traffic management measures' and 551TH - 'smithfield Extension and associated roadworks'.

2. We charged the consultants fees of $1.5 million to 37TH - " Consultants' design fees and investigations for highway projects'.

3.The effective design height of the required roadside barriers should be more than 10 metres. It is impractical to provide them from aesthetic, installation and maintenance angles. The use of road enclosures will pose ventilation and fire fighting problems. Laying of noise reducing surfacing materials are also not suitable for Victoria Road with a speed limit of only 50 kilometres per hour. The frequent turning and braking operations of vehicles will quickly wear out the road surfacing materials, hence diminishing the noise reducing effect.

4. The Director of Lands estimated the land acquisition cost to be $0.2 million. This sum will be chargeable to Subhead 1100CA - " Compensation and ex-gratia allowances in respect of projects in the Public Works Programme " .

5. The Director of Architectural Services will charge the estimated cost of $0.7 million for the indirect noise mitigation measures against Subhead 3004GX - " Refurbishment of government buildings for items in Category D of the Public Works Programme " .

Enclosure to PWSC(97-98)81

573TH - Victoria Road improvements, stage 2, phase 2

Breakdown of estimates for consultants' fees for the construction stage

Consultants'
staff costs		 Estimated
man
months 		Average
MPS*
salary
point		 Multiplier
factor		 Estimated
fee
($ million)
(a) Consultants' administration fee at construction stage

 Professional
Technical 		19
9 		40
20 		3.0
3.0 		3.2
0.6
(b) Resident site staff employed by the consultants

 Professional
Technical 		83
136 		40
20 		2.1
2.1 		9.7
6.5
Total consultants' staff costs20.0

* 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 consultant's offices (At 1.4.96, MPS pt. 40 = $55,390 p.m., and MPS pt. 20 = $22,595 p.m.). A multiplier factor of 2.1 is adopted in the case of site staff employed by the consultants.

2.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.

(HH585)