For discussion
PWSC(98-99)1
on 22 July 1998

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 706 - HIGHWAYS
Transport - Footbridges/pedestrian tunnels
126TB -Pedestrian subway at junction of Austin Road/Canton Road

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 126TB to Category A at an estimated cost of $90.2 million in money-of-the- day (MOD) prices for constructing a pedestrian subway at the junction of Austin Road/Canton Road.

PROBLEM

The junction of Austin Road/Canton Road has been operating beyond capacity during peak hours. Future developments in West Kowloon Reclamation will generate additional traffic and aggravate the present situation.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Highways, with the support of the Secretary for Transport, proposes to upgrade 126TB to Category A at an estimated cost of $90.2 million in MOD prices for the construction of a pedestrian subway at the junction of Austin Road/Canton Road.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The scope of the project comprises -

1. construction of a 6-metre wide pedestrian subway at the junction of Austin Road and Canton Road, together with associated ramps and staircases;

2. realignment of the section of Canton Road connecting with Bowring Street; and

3. associated drainage works, water mains diversion, traffic signals/markings modification works, landscaping works and road works.

JUSTIFICATION

4. The existing junction of Austin Road and Canton Road has been operating beyond capacity during peak hours. We anticipate that the future developments in the West Kowloon Reclamation will generate additional traffic to further aggravate the situation. We project that, without improvements, the traffic demand by 2001 will exceed the capacity at this junction by 36% and 18% in the morning and evening peak hours respectively.

5. We propose to replace at-grade pedestrian crossings at the junction with a pedestrian subway system. This arrangement will increase the reserve capacity of the junction to 25% and 16% for the morning and evening peak hours respectively.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

6. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $90.2 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 7 below), made up as follows -

	$ million
(a) Pedestrian subway, associated ramps and staircases	38.9
(b) Subway electrical and mechanical works	3.5
(c) Associated road works, drainage works, landscaping works and water mains diversion	9.5
(d) Resident site staff cost	9.6
(e) Consultants' fees at construction stage	1.1
(f) Contingencies	6.9
	_____
Sub-total	69.5	(at December 1997 prices)
(g) Inflation allowance	20.7
	_____
Total	90.2	(in MOD prices)
	_____

A breakdown by man-month of the estimate for consultants' fees is at the Enclosure.

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

8. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government's forecasts of trend labour and construction prices over the period 1998 to 2004. We will tender the works under a standard lump sum contract. This form of contract provides for adjustments to the tender price due to inflation for contract period exceeding 21 months.

9. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure to be $369,000.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

10. We consulted the Traffic and Transport Committee of the Yau Tsim Mong District Board and the Urban Council in July 1995 and June 1997 respectively. The members supported the proposed works.

11. We gazetted the project under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance on 18 July 1997 and received four objections. One objector was a business tenant of Nos. 308A, 310 and 310A Canton Road and Nos. 3, 3A and 5 Kwun Chung Street, Kowloon. The other three objectors were the landlords of this business tenant. They were concerned that, both during and after the construction of the subway project, their business, rental income and property value would be adversely affect. On 29 September 1997, we explained, in vain, to the four objectors the traffic benefits of the project and their rights under the Ordinance to claim for justifiable compensation. All four objectors stood by their objections.

12. Having considered the scheme of 126TB and the objections, the Chief Executive in Council authorized the scheme on 28 April 1998.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

13. We completed a Preliminary Environmental Review on the proposed pedestrian subway and concluded that there would be no long term operational impact from this project. An Environmental Impact Assessment is therefore not necessary for this project. For short term impact during construction, we will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances to within established standards and guidelines through the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures in the works contract.

LAND ACQUISITION

14. The project does not require any land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

15. We upgraded 126TB to Category B in October 1995. We engaged consultants for detailed design for the project in March 1997, charging the cost of $3 million to 370TH "Road improvement and pedestrian schemes in the Salisbury Road, Canton Road and Austin Road corridors - consultants' fees and investigations".

16. We have completed the detailed design and drawings for the project. We plan to start the construction works as soon as practicable after funding approval, in any case not later than December 1998. The works will take some 29 months inclusive from start to funish. We aim to complete the construction works by April 2001.

Transport Bureau
July 1998

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Enclosure to PWSC(98-99)1

126TB -Pedestrian subway at junction of Austin Road/Canton Road

Breakdown of estimates for consultant's fees

Consultants' staff costs		Estimated man- months	Average MPS* salary point		Multiplier factor	Estimated fee ($ million)
(a) Consultants' administration fees at construction stage	Professional Technical	5 3	40 20		3.0 3.0	0.9 0.2
(b) Resident site staff employed by the consultants	Professional Technical	36 101	40 20		2.1 2.1	4.5 5.1
						_____
Total consultants' staff costs						10.7
						_____

* 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 1.4.97, MPS pt. 40 = $59,210 p.m. and MPS pt. 20 = $24,135 p.m.). A multiplier factor of 2.1 is applied in the case of site staff supplied by the consultants.

2. Our agreement with the consultants provides for consultants' administration fees at the construction stage be paid according to a fee scale based on the cost of works. Estimates at (a) above agrees with the estimates based on the fee scale and the estimated cost of works.

(126TB.doc)