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The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng said today (April 7) that being a major part of the Route 8, the Stonecutters Bridge would play an important role in coping with growing traffic between Northeast New Territories, Kowloon and the western part of Hong Kong.
In officiating at the bridge deck closure ceremony, Ms Cheng said the entire Route 8 project was approaching completion. With a span of 1018 metres, the Stonecutters Bridge is the second longest span cable-stayed bridge in the world. It has one of the world・s highest level of clearance at 73.5 metres, enabling the passage of the largest container vessels to the Kwai Chung Container Terminal.
：As the bridge is located next to the Kwai Chung Container Terminal, it will support the logistics industry,； Ms Cheng said.
She said Route 8 helped relieve the congestion in major tunnels such as the Lion Rock and Tate・s Cairn as well as the roads near Kwai Chung. In addition, it would offer a faster and more convenient link to the Hong Kong International Airport.
The bridge demonstrates state-of-the-art building techniques. In-depth research on the aerodynamic performance of the Bridge was carried out by the Highways Department during the design stage. The scale and completeness of the wind tunnel tests conducted were highly commended by many international bridge experts.
The Director of Highways, Mr Wai Chi-sing said the Stonecutters Bridge adopted a very streamlined deck design that greatly improves its wind resistant ability. In order to mitigate the stay cable vibration induced by rain and wind, the cable surfaces are stamped with dimples which is the first of its kind used in Hong Kong.
High strength parallel steel wired cables are used as stay cables for the bridge. Of smaller cross sections than usual stay cables, they can effectively reduce wind loading exerted onto the cables.
：The bridge deck is made from very high strength steel so as to reduce bridge deck thickness and weight. This eventually brings about savings in foundation, materials and budget. The steel-concrete composite structure design of the tower also enhances its stability and gives the bridge a unique and pleasant appearance,； Mr Wai said.
Regarding maintenance, the wind and structural health monitoring system installed on the bridge provides engineers with a thorough anamnesis for subsequent diagnosis. Such a system stands at the forefront in the bridge engineering industry. Barrier-free inspections and servicing are actualized by maintenance accesses at strategic locations and the maintenance shuttle inside the bridge deck.
Ms Eva Cheng thanked the project team and those who had taken part in the design and construction for their professionalism and dedication.
Also officiating at today・s deck closure ceremony were Legislative Council members Hon Miriam Lau and Hon Raymond Ho, Project Manager from Major Works, Project Management Office of the Highways Department, Mr Chow Ying-shun and representatives of contractors.
Ends/Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Issued at HKT 22:03
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