Untitled - HKU Libraries - The University of Hong Kong

6.5.20 The South Kwai Chung Road Improvement project was designed as a part of acontinuous through expressway. This section of the project is planned to be built onreclaimed land at the northern end of the West Kowioon Reclamation. The currentprogramme for the reclamation indicates that Stage 1 in the area of the containerport is planned for completion by late 1993. The Cheung Sha Wan sections aretentatively scheduled for completion in about 1995 and later. The possibility ofaccelerating these depends on the relocation of the facilities in Cheung Sha Wan. Inaddition, the temporary connections would have to be investigated in detail.Construction may require disruption or detours of traffic on the West KowioonCorridor.6.5.21 Conclusions—The idea! situation from a traffic point of view would be for the WestKowioon Expressway to be fully in place with the Western Harbour Crossing, butthis is dependent on the completion of the West Kowioon Reclamation which isunlikely to be ready by the mid 1990s. Traffic operations in West Kowioon appear tobe manageable without the West Kowioon Expressway, but the Kwai Chung areawill be most critical due to the lack of alternatives to the Las Chi Lok Bridge. HenceSouth Kwai Chung Road Improvements Phases II and 111, together with theproposed bypass to Lai Chi Kok Bridge, is recommended to be completed by mid1990s to provide traffic relief to this area until the West Kowioon Expressway isavailable.Route 3 (North of Kwai Chung)6.5.22 This part of the Route 3 was analysed in two sections: Yuen Long Jo Yau Kqm Tau,with an interchange at Tuen Mun Road;, and Yau Kom Tau to Kwai Chung with ."ahinterchange on Tsing Yi Island. These are referred to here as the northern andsouthern sections respectively. The northern end of this part of Route 3 wouldprovide connections to the Yuen Long Southern Bypass and New TerritoriesCircular Road, while the southern end would connect to South Kwai Chung Roadand the West Kowioon Expressway. The two sections are proposed as a dual 3-laneexpressway, and would carry through traffic between the New Territories and urbanarea, removing it from the Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung road system.6.5.23 The northern section is projected to carry 92 000 pcus per day in 2001 at a V/C rajtio-^of 0.8, resulting in satisfactory operating conditions on roads in the Kwai Chungcorridor providing access to the North-west New Territories.6.5.24 Thte southerasection through Tsing Yi is projected toxajry, 1.Q4 000,,pcus per day in ••2001 at a.V/C ratsg,.,QlQ,$. This would result in substantial reductions in traffic flowson Tuen Mun Road and Castle Peak Road approaching Tsuen Wan. Thesereductions will improve the morning peak hour operations from severely congestedto generally satisfactory.6.5.25 The economic benefits of the two sections of Route 3 as a combined project aresubstantial split approximately evenly between the two. Both of them are worthwhileprojects. The SYRR for the southern section is lower due mainly to its highereconomic costs.6.5.26 Traffic volumes on this part of Route 3 would change relatively little if either theWestern Harbour Crossing or the West Kowioon Expressway, or both, were notbuilt. This is because it provides a high speed connection between the NewTerritories and Kowioon which would be attractive, even if the harbour crossingswere congested. However, the consequence of opening these sections without theWest Kowioon Expressway in place would be to increase the traffic volume on theWest Kowioon Corridor by approximately 60-70%, resulting in congested conditionsin the morning peak. Congestion would also be expected to occur on Kwai ChungRoad and the Lai Chi Kok bridge under these circumstances.107