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Findings of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) on improvement works to a section of Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) between North Point interchange and Sai Wan Ho is now available for public access.

The Government has proposed to widen this section of the IEC to dual four-lane, to construct an additional Kornhill flyover slip road as well as realignment of other associated roads to improve traffic capacity.

The IEC, completed in late 1989, was designed with a traffic capacity of 4,200 vehicles an hour. At present, the traffic situation at the above section of the IEC is relatively congested during traffic peak hours.

It is anticipated that traffic flows on the IEC are likely to increase by about 20 per cent in the next decade when new housing developments in Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan are completed.

The proposed Central-Wan Chai Bypass will also increase the traffic flow along the IEC.

The assessment, part of the investigation and preliminary design for the improvement project, was conducted in May last year to identify potential environmental impacts and to recommend mitigation measures.

It was completed in February this year.

Measures recommended in the EIA comprise the use of plain and inverted-L noise barriers, low noise road surfaces, modification of the plain noise barrier to form a semi-enclosure to mitigate the air impact at Quarry Bay Park Sports Ground, indirect technical remedy for nine dwellings as well as a landscape and visual mitigation scheme comprising extensive planting of trees in the affected areas.

Members of the public may read the Final Report and Executive Summary of the EIA which are now placed at public reference libraries of the provisional municipal councils.

They can also purchase the Final Report, at $948 a copy, or collect the Executive Summary free of charge at the Major Works Project Management Office of the Highways Department, third floor, Ho Man Tin Government Offices, 88 Chung Hau Street, Kowloon.

End/Monday, May 4, 1998

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