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The Highways Department today (March 20) awarded a $26.8 million design and construction consultancy to Hyder-Arup-Binnie Joint Venture for the widening of a 8.7-kilometre section of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway (between Island House Interchange at Tai Po and Wo Hop Shek Interchange at Fanling) from dual three-lane to dual four-lane.

The Project Manager of the Major Works Project Management Office of the department, Mr. Robert Lloyd, said at the contract signing ceremony that the widening of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway was to cope with the increasing traffic demand from the cross boundary traffic and the demand created by the continuing development in the northern part of New Territories.

"Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway form a strategic road link serving both the Northeast New Territories and cross boundary traffic. At present, the road section is observed to be very congested during morning peak with traffic queues stretching from the Island House Interchange to Tai Po North Interchange."

"We forecast that the cross boundary traffic will register an annual growth of nine per cent, with the average daily traffic increasing from 28,300 vehicles in 1999 to about 120,000 vehicles in 2016."

"After the completion of the $2.5 billion (estimated) construction works in 2006, the concerned road sections will have sufficient capacity to cope with the traffic volume."

In September 2000, an investigation study of the proposed widening to assess the impacts on the existing traffic, environment and drainage system confirmed the feasibility of the widening.

The proposed widening work is severely constrained by the configuration of the existing interchanges at Island House, Tai Po North, Lam Kam Flyover and Wo Hop Shek, the presence of trunk watermains from the Mainland, the East Rail and existing villages adjacent to the highways.

The Design and Construction Assignment comprises four phases: review phase, design phase, tender phase and construction phase.

The assignment will commence immediately with a five-month review phase to review the works carried out under the Investigation Study. Upon completion of the Review, the detailed design will proceed for completion in mid 2003. The last phase, the construction works will commence the same year for completion before the end of 2006.

The Joint Venture comprises Hyder Consulting Ltd, Ove Arup & Partners HK Ltd and Binnie Black & Veatch HK Ltd.

End/Tuesday, March 20, 2001

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