************************************************************
The Highways Department today (August 18) signed a $1,850 million contract with China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited for the widening of a 2.4-kilometre-long section of Tolo Highway between Island House Interchange and Ma Wo.
The Director of Highways, Mr Wai Chi-sing, said at the contract signing ceremony, "Widening of the section of Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway between Island House Interchange and Fanling, which is a 8.7-kilometre-long dual three-lane expressway linking Tai Po and Fanling, will be implemented under a number of works contracts. The contract for the section of Tolo Highway between Island House Interchange and Ma Wo signed today is the first one.
"Upon completion of the whole project in 2014, Tolo Highway and Fanling Highway will be able to cope with the anticipated traffic demand arising from the future development of the Northeast New Territories. The whole project will altogether create more than 3,000 jobs, which will help improve the current employment situation."
The contract signed today is to widen the section of Tolo Highway between Island House Interchange and Ma Wo from a dual three-lane carriageway to a dual four-lane carriageway with the provision of hard shoulders. The works include widening of traffic lanes, reconstruction of two existing bridges, modification of three existing bridges, construction of three new bridges, and implementation of the associated environmental mitigation measures, drainage works, slope works and landscaping works.
Ends/Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:46
NNNN