Untitled - HKU Libraries - The University of Hong Kong

10.7.4 The new airport and port development between them would generate a substantialvolume of new traffic entering the transport system from the west estimated atabout 200 000 equivalent passenger car units (PCU) per day. About three-quartersof this traffic would be associated with the new airport and the rest with theextended port. These volumes would require a dual 4-Iane highway to the new siteby 2001, but expected further growth would require greater capacity soon after.Separation of the access to the airport from that to the new port facilities wouldmake the traffic volumes more easily manageable.10.7.5 The large volumes of traffic associated with the new airport and port would have astrong impact on the road system. With the Lantau site connecting to Route 3 onTsing Yi Island, volumes in West Kowloon would increase by 20% to 30%,overloading the existing and planned highways. With this traffic, Route 3 wouldrequire expansion from dual 3-!ane to dual 4-lane between the northern end of theWestern Harbour Crossing and Yau Korn Tau (north of Tsing Yi Island). Crossharbourtraffic volumes would not change significantly, but there would be someincreased congestion in Centra! on Hong Kong Island.10.7.6 With the Harbour site for the new airport and port connecting to Hong Kong Islandaround Telegraph Bay, the impacts would be felt particularly on Route 7 and theproposed third harbour crossing at Western. Traffic projections indicate that thesetwo facilities would have to be upgraded from 6 lanes to 10 lanes to take theprojected traffic, effectively requiring a fourth harbour crossing. For both airportrelocation scenarios, there would be serious traffic problems in Kowloon on the localdistributor road network but substantial traffic will be removed from East Kowloonbringing much relief to congestion in this area.Conclusions10.7.7 The relocation of the airport would have substantial implications for the transportstrategy, requiring upgrading of the planned highways in West Kowloon and, if theHarbour site is selected, on the west side of Hong Kong Island. For the satisfactoryoperation of the new airport, the key links of the recommended CTS-2 highwaystrategy would have to be in place by the year of opening, upgraded to accomodatethe greater traffic volumes associated with the relocated airport. The analysessuggest that the Lantau airport site could be accommodated more easily by 2001,since this would require a single Western Harbour Crossing and delay in theconstruction of Route 7 could be more easily tolerated. A detailed study will berequired to examine the overall impact and transport implications of an airportrelocation scenario, in particular for the period beyond 2001. The transportinvestment programme recommended by CTS-2 for the early 1990s is not expectedto be affected by this scenario, the planning for which can be put in hand.10.8 Other IssuesImplementation of the Transport Strategy10.8.1 The Study has made a number of recommendations on transport projects andmanagement policies. Detailed studies are now required of the individualrecommendations to prepare for implementation. The main studies are as follows:(1) Route planning and design studies for the recommended highway projects.Some studies are already underway or are planned for early commencementincluding those for parts of Route 3 including the Western Harbour Crossing.(2) Route planning and design studies for the recommended rail projects. Threeprojects have been recommended: the MTR Junk Bay extension, the NorthwestNew Territories urban rail link, and a new cross-harbour rail link. The routeand operation of the Junk Bay Line have already been well studied, this nowneeds to be brought to final design. There are more issues to be considered forthe North-west New Territories urban rail link, including route, type of train207