For discussion
on 25 November 1998
PWSC(98-99)45
ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 706 - HIGHWAYS
Transport - Roads
720TH -Widening of Tolo Highway / Fanling Highway between Island House Interchange and Fanling
Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee -
- to upgrade part of 720TH, entitled "Widening of Tolo Highway / Fanling Highway between Island House Interchange and Fanling - studies and preliminary design" to Category A at an estimated cost of $27.8 million in money-of-the-day prices; and
- to retain the remainder of 720TH in Category B.
PROBLEM
The section of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway between Island House Interchange and Fanling will not be able to cope with future traffic demands.
PROPOSAL
2 The Director of Highways, with the support of the Secretary for Transport, proposes to upgrade part of 720TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $27.8 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices to engage consultants to undertake the studies and preliminary design of the widening of the section of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway between Island House Interchange in Tai Po and Fanling.
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
3. The scope of works for the proposed widening of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway project includes the following -
- widening a 3.9 kilometres section of the Tolo Highway and a 2.8 kilometres section of the Fanling Highway between the Island House Interchange and Fanling from the existing dual 3-lane configuration to a dual 4-lane configuration;
- widening of the highway interchange sections at Island House Interchange, Tai Po North Interchange and the Lam Kam Road Interchange from dual 2-lane to dual 3-lane including realigning the various slip roads;
- improving the existing merging arrangements at the southbound carriageway of the Wo Hop Shek Interchange;
- modification and reconstruction of the highway overbridges, underpasses and box culverts intersecting the highways; and
- associated civil, geotechnical, landscape and drainage works, electrical and mechanical installations, traffic control and surveillance systems, and environmental mitigation measures.
4. The part of the project we now propose to upgrade to Category A comprises -
- the studies and preliminary design of the proposed works described in paragraph 3 above; and
- the associated ground investigations.
JUSTIFICATION
5. The Tolo Highway and the Fanling Highway form a strategic road link serving the Northeast New Territories and cross boundary traffic. The average daily traffic on these highways has been growing at a rate of about 18% per annum in recent years. Given the continuing trend of development in the northern part of the New Territories, we project that the population in the northern and north-western New Territories (i.e. Tai Po, Fanling, Sheung Shui, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and Tin Shui Wai) will increase from 1.36 million in 1997 to 1.74 million in 2006. Furthermore, we assume that the average daily cross boundary traffic will increase by about 7% per annum, from 30,000 in 1997 to about 55 000 in 2006. This is based on the assumption that the average increase over the last 5 years will continue. We anticipate that the projected increases in both population and the volume of cross-boundary traffic will lead to a 40% increase in the traffic using the existing section of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway between Island House Interchange and Fanling during peak hours from 1998 to 2006.
6. The following table shows the projected volume/capacity 1 (V/C) ratios during peak hours with and without the proposed widening on the sections of highways proposed to be widened -
| Year
|
|---|
| 1998 | 2001 | 2006 | 2011
|
|---|
|
Without the proposed widening works
|
0.80
|
1.05
|
1.13
|
1.28
|
|
With the proposed widening works
|
-
|
-
|
0.85
|
0.96 |
7. In order to alleviate the forecast congestion problems and to meet the traffic demand up to at least 2011, we propose to widen the sections of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway in question from dual 3-lanes to dual 4-lanes. We also plan to widen the highway interchange sections described in paragraph 3(b) above from dual 2-lanes to dual 3-lanes.
8. To ensure that the project will be completed in time, we need to proceed now with the investigation and preliminary design to establish the necessary land requirements, and to carry out the environmental, drainage and traffic impact studies on the areas concerned. Such information will allow us to firm up the detailed project scope and will provide necessary inputs for the subsequent detailed design stage.
9. We propose to employ consultants to undertake the studies and preliminary design for720TH and to supervise the associated ground investigation works, as we do not have the necessary in-house resources.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
10. We estimate the cost of this project to be $27.8 million in MOD prices, made up as follows -
|
|
$ million
|
|
|
(a) Consultants fees
|
|
15.6
|
|
|
(i) studies and preliminary design
|
14.8
|
|
|
|
(ii) supervision of ground investigations
|
0.6
|
|
(iii) Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund (EMSTF) charges2
|
0.2
|
|
|
|
(b) Ground investigations
|
|
6.5
|
|
|
(c) Contingencies
|
|
2.2
|
|
|
|
_____
|
|
|
Sub-total
|
|
24.3
|
(at December
1997 prices) |
|
(d) Inflation allowance
|
|
3.5
|
|
|
|
_____
|
|
|
Total
|
|
27.8
|
(in MOD prices) |
|
|
_____
|
|
11. Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure as follows :
|
Year
|
$ million
(Dec 1997)
|
Price
Adjustment
Factor
|
$ million
(MOD) |
|
1999 - 2000
|
19.4
|
1.12890
|
21.9 |
|
2000 - 2001
|
4.9
|
1.19663
|
5.9 |
|
_____
|
|
_____ |
|
24.3
|
|
27.8 |
|
_____
|
|
_____ |
12. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government's latest forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1999 to 2001. We will award the consultancy on a lump sum basis with provisions for adjustment due to inflation as the duration of the consultancy will exceed 12 months. A breakdown by man-months of the estimate for consultants fees is at the Enclosure. The consultants will supervise the ground investigation works under a contract awarded through normal competitive tendering procedures.
13. The proposed studies and preliminary design will not give rise to any annually recurrent expenditure.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
14. We consider public consultation unnecessary at the studies and preliminary design stage. We will consult the Tai Po Provisional District Board, the Tai Po Rural Committee, the North District Provisional District Board and the Advisory Council on the Environment when we have finalised the preliminary design of the proposed road project.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
15. The project is a designated project under Schedule 2 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance (Cap. 499). An environmental permit is required for the project. We will prepare an EIA report as part of this studies and preliminary design assignment to meet the requirements under the EIA Ordinance and the Technical Memorandum on the EIA process.
LAND ACQUISITION
16. The proposed studies and preliminary design work do not require any land acquisition.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
17. In November 1998, we upgraded 561TH - 'Widening of Tolo Highway between Island House Interchange and Ma Liu Shui Interchange' to Category A at an estimated cost of $2,507.2 million in MOD prices ($1,917 million in December 1997 prices) for the widening of the section of Tolo Highway between Island House Interchange and Ma Liu Shui Interchange from dual 3-lanes to dual 4-lanes. We intend to commence construction of this project in December 1998 for completion in December 2001.
18. In September 1998, we included 720TH in Category B for the widening of the remaining section of the Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway from Island House Interchange to Fanling, at an estimated cost of $3,108.3 million in December 1997 prices.
19. We plan to start the studies, preliminary design and ground investigation work as soon as practicable after funding approval, in any case not later than March 1999. The study will take some 15 months inclusive from start to finish. We aim to complete the study not later than June 2000. Thereafter, we will proceed with the detailed design work in July 2000 for completion in early 2002. We aim at starting the road widening works in mid 2002 for completion in 2005.
---------------------------------------
Transport Bureau
November1998
(PWSC0038/WIN2)
Enclosure to PWSC(98-99)45
720TH - Widening of Tolo Highway/Fanling Highway between Island House
Interchange and Fanling - investigation and preliminary design
Breakdown of estimates for consultants fees (at December 1997 prices)
|
Consultants staff costs
|
|
Estimated
man
months
|
Average
MPS*
salary
point
|
Multiplier
factor
|
Estimated
fee
($ million) |
|
(a) Review of the findings of previous feasibility studies, and examination of alignments and design options
|
Professional
Technical
|
4
3
|
40
16
|
3.0
3.0
|
0.7
0.2 |
|
(b) Environmental, drainage and traffic impact assessments
|
Professional
Technical
|
21
29
|
40
16
|
3.0
3.0
|
3.7
1.8 |
|
(c) Preliminary design
|
Professional
Technical
|
40
22
|
40
16
|
3.0
3.0
|
7.1
1.3 |
|
(d) Supervision of ground investigations
|
Professional
Technical
|
3
5
|
40
16
|
2.1
2.1
|
0.4
0.2 |
|
(e) Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Funds
|
|
|
|
|
0.2 |
|
|
|
|
_____ |
|
Total consultants staff costs
|
15.6 |
|
Out-of-pocket expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) Ground investigations
|
|
|
|
|
6.5 |
|
|
|
|
_____ |
|
Total
|
22.1 |
|
|
|
|
_____ |
* 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 1.4.97, MPS pt. 40 = $59,210 p.m., and MPS pt. 16 = $19,860 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 the overheads or 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 the EMSTF in 1 August 1996 under the Trading Funds Ordinance, government departments are required to pay for design and technical consultancy services for electrical and mechanical (E&M) installations provided by 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 impacts on the project.
(PWSC0038/WIN2)
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. A V/C ratio above 1.0 indicates the onset of mild congestion; above 1.2 indicates more serious congestion with traffic speeds progressively deteriorating with further increase in traffic. ]
2[ Upon its establishment from 1 August 1996 under the Trading Funds Ordinance, the EMSTF charges government departments for design and technical consultancy services for electrical and mechanical (E&M) installation. 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 impacts on the project.]
