Contract signed for Central Kowloon Route - Kai Tak West (with photo)
The Highways Department today (January 23) signed a contract for about $6,242 million with Gammon Construction Limited for works in Kai Tak West under the Central Kowloon Route (CKR) project. The works mainly comprise the construction of a 370-metre underwater tunnel and the associated temporary reclamation of about three hectares in Kowloon Bay, a 160m-long tunnel in Ma Tau Kok as well as a 125m-long depressed road and a 170m-long underpass in the Kai Tak Development.
The Director of Highways, Mr Daniel Chung, said at the contract signing ceremony that construction of the proposed underwater tunnel in Kowloon Bay by using temporary reclamation to protect the integrity of Victoria Harbour is one of the most challenging tasks of the CKR project. The contract also includes construction of an approximately 160m-long and 40m-wide waterfront promenade fronting the Kowloon City Ferry Pier Public Transport Interchange, which will form part of the waterfront promenade connecting Hoi Sham Park with the Kai Tak Development. The project will not affect Kowloon City Ferry Pier or Kowloon City Vehicular Ferry Pier, which are historic buildings accorded with Grade 2 status.
The CKR is a 4.7-km-long dual three-lane strategic trunk road in Central Kowloon linking the Yau Ma Tei Interchange in West Kowloon with the road network of the Kai Tak Development and Kowloon Bay in East Kowloon. It is anticipated that the construction of the CKR will be completed in 2025 for commissioning. The CKR will relieve traffic congestion in Central Kowloon's road network. It is estimated that the journey time between Yau Ma Tei and Kowloon Bay during peak hours will be considerably reduced from 25 minutes to about five minutes.
Ends/Tuesday, January 23, 2018
