The Lion Rock Tunnel, being the first tunnel in Hong Kong, is a twin-bored toll tunnel, connecting Sha Tin in the New Territories and New Kowloon near Kowloon Tong. It has two lanes in each direction, with toll booths located at the Sha Tin end. It is a vital component of .
The Lion Rock Tunnel was opened on November 14, 1967, as a 1.43 km dual-one single bore tunnel. The conception of this tunnel is often described as a by-product, as there was a need at that time to build a water supply tunnel through the range of hills separating New Kowloon and the rest of the New Territories, as part of the . The Lion Rock Tunnel was designed by Young Au Young, a civil engineer from Shunde.
The government later saw the need for another road link between New Kowloon and Sha Tin when it decided to develop the latter as a new town. The Second Lion Rock Tunnel, which is 1.41 km long and situated to the west of, and lying parallel to, the old tunnel, was opened to traffic on January 18, 1978.
The new tunnel serves northbound traffic towards Sha Tin, while the old one serves southbound traffic towards Kowloon. Traffic in both directions share one of the tunnels when the other undergoes maintenance works.
Serco Group Limited is contracted to manage, operate and maintain the Lion Rock Tunnel and Kai Tak Tunnel which have a daily total of approximately 90,000 vehicles throughout in 2000. The first contract started in 1993 and was successfully retained in 1996 and 2000 at rebid.
Approximately 100 civil servants from the Transport Department were transferred to Serco Group Limited as part of the company's solution.
In 1999, several Serco Group Limited staff achieved certified trainer status by the Institute of Vehicle Recovery UK - a first for a private company in Hong Kong.
Lion Rock Tunnel has achieved both and OHASA18001 in 2004.
The Lion Rock Tunnel's fare is 8.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Kai Tak Tunnel
Kai Tak Tunnel , formerly known as the Airport Tunnel is a tunnel in New Kowloon, Hong Kong, which connects the Kowloon Bay and To Kwa Wan areas by going beneath the . It is part of . It provides a quick link between the two ends of the tunnel, as before the construction of the tunnel vehicles have to detour through Kowloon City to reach the other end.
Construction of the tunnel started in 1976, but because of the difficulties in digging under the airport runway, it was not complete until 1982. It was known as Kowloon Bay Tunnel at the time of its opening, and it was also the first tunnel in Hong Kong to be toll-free.
With Kai Tak Airport's shutdown in 1998, the Airport Tunnel no longer fulfilled its name. The Hong Kong Government announced on March 2, 2006 that the tunnel be renamed to Kai Tak Tunnel, effective from May 4, 2006, after several years of consultation with groups including the Kowloon City District .
Construction of the tunnel started in 1976, but because of the difficulties in digging under the airport runway, it was not complete until 1982. It was known as Kowloon Bay Tunnel at the time of its opening, and it was also the first tunnel in Hong Kong to be toll-free.
With Kai Tak Airport's shutdown in 1998, the Airport Tunnel no longer fulfilled its name. The Hong Kong Government announced on March 2, 2006 that the tunnel be renamed to Kai Tak Tunnel, effective from May 4, 2006, after several years of consultation with groups including the Kowloon City District .
Fourth harbour crossing, Hong Kong
The fourth harbour crossing is being proposed in Hong Kong as the fourth underwater tunnel to cross the Victoria Harbour to ease the traffic through the Cross-Harbour Tunnel. Even though the Western Harbour Crossing, operated by CITIC Pacific Limited, was built for this purpose, the tolls for crossing is double the rates of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, proving the Western Harbour Crossing ineffective in diverting traffic from the Cross-Harbour Tunnel. Around this time, a new tunnel between North Point and Kowloon Bay was suggested to relief the stress on the Cross-Harbour Tunnel.
However, the Hong Kong government suffered from the East Asian financial crisis in 1997, and all major projects were put on hold. It was not until 2005 that the topic was brought up again, as the Eastern Harbour Crossing announced it would increase its toll prices. It was predicted that 1/3 of traffic from the eastern crossing would use the Cross-Harbour Tunnel instead as a result of the price hike, and the influx would certainly be disastrous for the already overloaded tunnel. The call for a fourth tunnel was revived to counter the problem.
A new proposal stated that the new crossing would be an immersed tube joining a reclamation site off Hung Hom with in Causeway Bay. The toll booths would be placed at the Kowloon end, and would join there. At the Hong Kong Island end there would be a major interchange located under the Victoria Park, connecting with the Island Eastern Corridor. This proposal was deemed the more likely to happen.
However, the Hong Kong government suffered from the East Asian financial crisis in 1997, and all major projects were put on hold. It was not until 2005 that the topic was brought up again, as the Eastern Harbour Crossing announced it would increase its toll prices. It was predicted that 1/3 of traffic from the eastern crossing would use the Cross-Harbour Tunnel instead as a result of the price hike, and the influx would certainly be disastrous for the already overloaded tunnel. The call for a fourth tunnel was revived to counter the problem.
A new proposal stated that the new crossing would be an immersed tube joining a reclamation site off Hung Hom with in Causeway Bay. The toll booths would be placed at the Kowloon end, and would join there. At the Hong Kong Island end there would be a major interchange located under the Victoria Park, connecting with the Island Eastern Corridor. This proposal was deemed the more likely to happen.
Eastern Harbour Crossing
The Eastern Harbour Crossing , abbreviated as "EHC" is a tunnel in Hong Kong. It is a combined road and MTR rail link under Victoria Harbour between Quarry Bay in Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon.
The Hong Kong Government negotiated with several consortia to adopt the Build-Operate-Transfer model in planning new tunnels in different parts of the city.
In 1986, the government gave New Hong Kong Tunnel the right to run the Tunnel on a 30-year franchise with lease expiring in August 2016. The tunnel features two components, a road part and a rail part:
*The road part of the tunnel is branded as Eastern Harbour Tunnel, although the government refers to the tunnel itself as Eastern Harbour Crossing. The tunnel is governed by the ''Eastern Harbour Crossing Ordinance''.
*The rail part runs between and stations of the MTR . The road part links the Island Eastern Corridor and Kwun Tong Bypass.
The powerful Chinese investment group CITIC Pacific is interested in both parts, controlling the road part and has a 50% stake in the rail part. CITIC also controls 50% of the Western Harbour Tunnel Company.
According to the operator, in 2003, a total number of 26,018,772 vehicles used the Eastern Harbour Tunnel. The average daily throughput was 71,284.
There are many cross-harbour bus routes that travel through the Eastern Harbour Crossing, operated by Kowloon Motor Bus, New World First Bus and .
*Kowloon Motor Bus/New World First Bus: 302, 601, 601P, 641, 680, 680P, 680X, 692, 692P, 802, 811
*Kowloon Motor Bus/: 307, 606, 606P, 619, 619P, 621, 671, 681, 681P, 690, 690P
*Kowloon Motor Bus: 373, 603, 603P, 603S
*: 698R
*New World First Bus: 680A, 682, 682P, 694
*Overnights: N601, N619, N680, N691
In June 2005, CITIC decided to raise the toll for using Eastern Harbour Crossing from HK$15 to HK$25 for private vehicles and up to 67% for other classes of vehicles, under the fare adjustment mechanism derived from the build-operate-transfer model.
The Government of Hong Kong claimed it was powerless to block the toll increase under the BOT model. This has aroused criticisms that the model was detrimental to the public interest, shifting more traffic to the already congested Cross-Harbour Tunnel.
History
The Hong Kong Government negotiated with several consortia to adopt the Build-Operate-Transfer model in planning new tunnels in different parts of the city.
In 1986, the government gave New Hong Kong Tunnel the right to run the Tunnel on a 30-year franchise with lease expiring in August 2016. The tunnel features two components, a road part and a rail part:
*The road part of the tunnel is branded as Eastern Harbour Tunnel, although the government refers to the tunnel itself as Eastern Harbour Crossing. The tunnel is governed by the ''Eastern Harbour Crossing Ordinance''.
*The rail part runs between and stations of the MTR . The road part links the Island Eastern Corridor and Kwun Tong Bypass.
The powerful Chinese investment group CITIC Pacific is interested in both parts, controlling the road part and has a 50% stake in the rail part. CITIC also controls 50% of the Western Harbour Tunnel Company.
Traffic
According to the operator, in 2003, a total number of 26,018,772 vehicles used the Eastern Harbour Tunnel. The average daily throughput was 71,284.
There are many cross-harbour bus routes that travel through the Eastern Harbour Crossing, operated by Kowloon Motor Bus, New World First Bus and .
Detailed bus routes
*Kowloon Motor Bus/New World First Bus: 302, 601, 601P, 641, 680, 680P, 680X, 692, 692P, 802, 811
*Kowloon Motor Bus/: 307, 606, 606P, 619, 619P, 621, 671, 681, 681P, 690, 690P
*Kowloon Motor Bus: 373, 603, 603P, 603S
*: 698R
*New World First Bus: 680A, 682, 682P, 694
*Overnights: N601, N619, N680, N691
Controversies
In June 2005, CITIC decided to raise the toll for using Eastern Harbour Crossing from HK$15 to HK$25 for private vehicles and up to 67% for other classes of vehicles, under the fare adjustment mechanism derived from the build-operate-transfer model.
The Government of Hong Kong claimed it was powerless to block the toll increase under the BOT model. This has aroused criticisms that the model was detrimental to the public interest, shifting more traffic to the already congested Cross-Harbour Tunnel.
Eagle's Nest Tunnel
Eagle's Nest Tunnel is the newest tunnel in Hong Kong. Officially opened on 21 March 2008, it connects Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin Valley through in Hong Kong in anticipation of future traffic demands generated by development in the northeast New Territories. It links south to Stonecutters Bridge and Nam Wan Tunnel, and north to Sha Tin Heights Tunnel to form a series of highways. The tunnel is part of . The toll for private car is HK$8.
The contract for the construction of the Eagle's Nest Tunnel was awarded to a joint venture between Leighton Contractors Limited and Kumagai Gumi Company Ltd. Construction began in October 2003 and the estimated cost of the project is HK$1.84 billion.
The project comprises two 2.1km, three-lane tunnels from Butterfly Valley to Shatin Valley through Eagle's Nest mountain , and all the associated electrical, mechanical and landscaping works that will be necessary. The project is scheduled for completion by April 2007. The full scope of the construction project will include:
*Twin 2.1km, three-lane tunnels
*400m ventilation shaft
*North and south tunnel portal buildings
*Ventilation building off Tai Po Road
*Three-storey administration building
*Toll plaza and toll collection facilities
*500m tunnel approach road
*Miscellaneous earthworks, road works and landscaping
*Electrical and mechanical for both the Eagle's Nest Tunnel and the adjacent, separately constructed, Sha Tin Heights Tunnel
Sandvik Tamrock Corp has supplied five new Tamrock Axera tunnelling jumbos for the Eagle's Nest tunnelling project. The first unit is a Tamrock Axera T08, a two-boom jumbo with basket boom and Tamrock Computer Aided Drilling instrumentation. This unit is used at the ventilation shaft and was delivered in April 2004. The remaining four units are all Tamrock Axera T12DATA - three-boom fully computerised jumbos with basket booms. These units were delivered to the site in summer 2004 and are being used in the main tunnel with two units drilling side-by-side for the cross section area of height 11.8m and width 16.3m.
The contract for the construction of the Eagle's Nest Tunnel was awarded to a joint venture between Leighton Contractors Limited and Kumagai Gumi Company Ltd. Construction began in October 2003 and the estimated cost of the project is HK$1.84 billion.
The project comprises two 2.1km, three-lane tunnels from Butterfly Valley to Shatin Valley through Eagle's Nest mountain , and all the associated electrical, mechanical and landscaping works that will be necessary. The project is scheduled for completion by April 2007. The full scope of the construction project will include:
*Twin 2.1km, three-lane tunnels
*400m ventilation shaft
*North and south tunnel portal buildings
*Ventilation building off Tai Po Road
*Three-storey administration building
*Toll plaza and toll collection facilities
*500m tunnel approach road
*Miscellaneous earthworks, road works and landscaping
*Electrical and mechanical for both the Eagle's Nest Tunnel and the adjacent, separately constructed, Sha Tin Heights Tunnel
Sandvik Tamrock Corp has supplied five new Tamrock Axera tunnelling jumbos for the Eagle's Nest tunnelling project. The first unit is a Tamrock Axera T08, a two-boom jumbo with basket boom and Tamrock Computer Aided Drilling instrumentation. This unit is used at the ventilation shaft and was delivered in April 2004. The remaining four units are all Tamrock Axera T12DATA - three-boom fully computerised jumbos with basket booms. These units were delivered to the site in summer 2004 and are being used in the main tunnel with two units drilling side-by-side for the cross section area of height 11.8m and width 16.3m.
Discovery Bay Tunnel
The Discovery Bay Tunnel is a toll tunnel that links Discovery Bay Road at Yi Pak Au to Cheung Tung Road at Siu Ho Wan beside the North Lantau Highway. It was built for the Discovery Bay residential development on the north-eastern coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong.
It is open 24 hours everyday to vehicles approved by the ; including residents' coaches, goods vehicles for goods delivery and servicing functions, and Hong Kong Government vehicles are allowed to use the tunnel. The toll charge ranges between HK$ 50.00 to 250.00 depending on the type of vehicle.
As the development is , private vehicles are discouraged from entering. Private cars or private delivery vans can only enter with special permits issued in advance, between the hours of 09:00 and 18:00 every day.
The tunnel is managed by HKR International Limited.
It is open 24 hours everyday to vehicles approved by the ; including residents' coaches, goods vehicles for goods delivery and servicing functions, and Hong Kong Government vehicles are allowed to use the tunnel. The toll charge ranges between HK$ 50.00 to 250.00 depending on the type of vehicle.
As the development is , private vehicles are discouraged from entering. Private cars or private delivery vans can only enter with special permits issued in advance, between the hours of 09:00 and 18:00 every day.
The tunnel is managed by HKR International Limited.
Cross-Harbour Tunnel
The Cross-Harbour Tunnel (abbr. ''CHT'' or ''XHT''; is the first tunnel in Hong Kong built under water. Since its construction, its traffic has increased, becoming one of the most congested roads in Hong Kong and the world.
Constructed by a private company and operated under a 30-year franchise, the 1.8 km-long tunnel crossing opened in 1972, providing the first road link between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island; Cross-harbour vehicular traffic depended on ferries before the tunnel was built.
The tunnel links the main financial and commercial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, connecting Kellett Island , Hong Kong Island with a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon. The toll plaza is located at the Hung Hom end of the tunnel, and has 14 toll booths.
It was administered by The Cross-Harbour Tunnel Company Ltd until August 1999, when the operation franchise agreement expired and the government assumed control.
Although other road tunnels, the Eastern Harbour Crossing and Western Harbour Crossing, have been built across the Victoria Harbour to divert traffic from the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, traffic congestion has not improved. Two reasons include the less convenient locations of the other two tunnels compared with the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, and more importantly the control of new tunnels by the powerful CITIC Pacific. The tolls for crossing each of the other two tunnels are significantly higher, and were further increased in 2005 by up to 67% to boost investment returns.
The Government of Hong Kong claimed it was powerless to prevent the sharp increase in tolls, and is currently looking at other options to relieve the traffic, including a plan to build a . Although it encourages motorists to use public buses but does not give buses priority access to the tunnel and strongly encourages taking MTR East Rail Line and then switching to MTR Tsuen Wan Line at East Tsim Sha Tsui Station.
Bus routes that pass through the tunnel:
*Kowloon Motor Bus/New World First Bus: 101, 101R, 102R, 104, 106, 106P, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 115P, 116, 301, 305
*Kowloon Motor Bus/: 102, 102P, 103, 107, 107P, 117, 118, 118P, 170, 171, 171P, 182, 182P, 807
*Kowloon Motor Bus: 108, 336
*Overnights: N11, N118, N121, N122, N170, N171, N182, N368
History
Constructed by a private company and operated under a 30-year franchise, the 1.8 km-long tunnel crossing opened in 1972, providing the first road link between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island; Cross-harbour vehicular traffic depended on ferries before the tunnel was built.
The tunnel links the main financial and commercial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, connecting Kellett Island , Hong Kong Island with a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon. The toll plaza is located at the Hung Hom end of the tunnel, and has 14 toll booths.
It was administered by The Cross-Harbour Tunnel Company Ltd until August 1999, when the operation franchise agreement expired and the government assumed control.
Continued congestion
Although other road tunnels, the Eastern Harbour Crossing and Western Harbour Crossing, have been built across the Victoria Harbour to divert traffic from the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, traffic congestion has not improved. Two reasons include the less convenient locations of the other two tunnels compared with the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, and more importantly the control of new tunnels by the powerful CITIC Pacific. The tolls for crossing each of the other two tunnels are significantly higher, and were further increased in 2005 by up to 67% to boost investment returns.
The Government of Hong Kong claimed it was powerless to prevent the sharp increase in tolls, and is currently looking at other options to relieve the traffic, including a plan to build a . Although it encourages motorists to use public buses but does not give buses priority access to the tunnel and strongly encourages taking MTR East Rail Line and then switching to MTR Tsuen Wan Line at East Tsim Sha Tsui Station.
Transport
Bus routes that pass through the tunnel:
*Kowloon Motor Bus/New World First Bus: 101, 101R, 102R, 104, 106, 106P, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 115P, 116, 301, 305
*Kowloon Motor Bus/: 102, 102P, 103, 107, 107P, 117, 118, 118P, 170, 171, 171P, 182, 182P, 807
*Kowloon Motor Bus: 108, 336
*Overnights: N11, N118, N121, N122, N170, N171, N182, N368
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)