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The remarkable development of Tsing Yi Island is a record of the creditable achievement of the government in carrying out infrastructural works, the Secretary for Works, Mr Kwong Hon-sang, said today (Monday).

Speaking at the completion ceremony of the Kwai Tsing Bridge, Mr Kwong said that the government would not be complacent about the present, but would continue to plough resources into other major projects.

"In the next five years, the government will invest a total of $235 billion in infrastructure, including various port, railway and land formation projects," he said.

"Among them, three projects, namely the North Tsing Yi Coastal Road, West Rail Phase 1 and Route 9, will be carried out in Kwai Tsing District," he added.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Territory Development, Mr Lee Shing-see, said the Territory Development Department (TDD) had managed projects for the development of Tsing Yi at a total cost of $6.7 billion in the past 20-odd years.

"TDD has carried out large scale land formation, roads and infrastructural works on Tsing Yi to cater for the increase in population and the development of container industry," Mr Lee said.

"The Kwai Tsing Bridge is the second cross-channel bridge constructed by TDD for Tsing Yi, following the completion of the Tsing Tsuen Bridge in 1987," he said.

"The new bridge will provide four additional traffic lanes to the existing two-lane Tsing Yi South Bridge," said Mr Lee, adding that its completion not only relieved traffic congestion in the area, but would also cater for the increase in container traffic upon the operation of Container Terminal No. 9.

Mr Lee also pointed out that a special technology, external prestressing system, was applied in the construction of the Kwai Tsing Bridge.

"The tendons of the Bridge was placed in the voids of the bridge deck instead of being embedded in concrete," he explained.

"This design will facilitate future maintenance and inspection of the steel tendons and hence, will greatly increase the operational effectiveness of the bridge," he said.

The Kwai Tsing Bridge, costing $1.3 billion, is the southern most crossing of the Rambler Channel. It connects the Tsing Yi Island to Kwai Chung. The 640-metre long main bridge, comprises two separate crossings, each having three spans with two spans of 122 metres over the navigation channels.

End/Monday, July 26, 1999

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