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An east-west strategic road link between the New Territories East (NT East) and the North West New Territories (NWNT)/Lantau would be formed when two sections of Route 9 were linked, the Director of Highways, Mr K.S. Leung, said.

The section of Route 9 between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan will connect with Lantau Link and Ting Kau Bridge near North West Tsing Yi Interchange at its western end and another section of Route 9 between Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin (formerly known as Route 16) at Lai Wan Interchange.

A design and construction assignment on the 7.6 km dual three-lane highway between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan will commence following the signing of the $105 million consultancy this (Saturday) morning between the Highways Department and Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong Ltd.

Works on this section of the route comprise:

* a 1.2 km three-lane twin-tube Nam Wan Tunnel

underneath the southern part of Tsing Yi Island;

* a 1.5 km dual three-lane highway connecting the

western portal of Nam Wan Tunnel with Cheung Tsing

Highway near the North West Tsing Yi Interchange;

* a 4.9 km dual three-lane elevated highway connecting

the eastern portal of Nam Wan Tunnel with West Kowloon

Highway and that section of Route 9 between Cheung Sha

Wan and Sha Tin at Lai Wan Interchange. This elevated

road includes the Stonecutters Bridge which will span

across the Rambler Channel, and Ngong Shuen Chau

Viaduct connecting the bridge with other road works

(a separate consultancy will be carried out for the

design and construction of Stonecutters Bridge);

* ramps connecting the above roads with the local

road network at Container Terminal Nos 8 (CT8)

and 9 (CT9); and

* a traffic control and surveillance system along the route.

Announcing details of the project at a press conference this morning, Mr Leung pointed out that the route would not only provide a direct link between NT East and NWNT/Lantau, but also serve as an alternative route between Tsing Yi and West Kowloon.

He said: "The Cheung Tsing Highway, the Cheung Tsing Tunnel and the Tsing Kwai Highway, all commissioned in 1997, have provided a fast link between North West Tsing Yi and West Kowloon.

"However, the subsequent opening of the Ting Kau Bridge and the Route 3 (Country Park Section) last year has attracted more traffic to use these highways.

"Future developments in NWNT and Tung Chung/Tai Ho on the Lantau Island will induce a further growth in population and an increase in the traffic demand.

"In the light of the above, the capacities of the existing highways will be saturated by 2006; hence the proposed section of Route 9 should be in place at that time to provide relief to these highways."

The Director of Highways also highlighted that the proposed route would also be beneficial to the local road network within the Tsing Yi/Kwai Chung areas, especially after the full commissioning of CT9.

It is estimated that after the full commissioning, CT9 will generate an additional peak hour traffic of 2,600 and 2,900 passenger car units per hour in 2006 and 2011 respectively.

He said: "The proposed link between Route 9 and CT9 will divert some 40 per cent of the CT9-related traffic away from the local road network within Tsing Yi/Kwai Chung areas and the Duplicate Tsing Yi South Bridge, thus providing additional reserve capacities on these roads."

As regards the design and construction of the Stonecutters Bridge which would have a span of about 1,000 m, Mr Leung said it would be the subject of a separate consultancy.

"Because of its special nature and of its prominent location in the harbour, further consideration on its form and method of procurement is required," he added.

The design of Route 9 (Tsing Yi - Cheung Sha Wan) will take 36 months to complete and construction of the project will commence in 2002 for completion in 2006 at an estimated cost of $20 billion (MOD).

End/Saturday, February 6, 1999

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