Work roars on in Lion Rock tunnel
COMMUTERS held up by roadworks between Sha Tin and Kowloon will see light at the end of the tunnel tomorrow morning when work on Lion Rock Tunnel Road moves a stage nearer completion.
The tidal-flow system of allowing two southbound lanes and one northbound in the morning peak on the tunnel's approaches will be withdrawn after more than a year, the Transport Department announced yesterday.
Repair work has moved on to the stretch of road between the Hung Mui Kuk interchange and the tunnel toll booths and is expected to be completed early next year.
'Commuters will find it easier because we are not doing the tidal-flow any more,' said Assistant Commissioner for Transport (New Territories) Alan Lui Sung-yee.
But the speed limit will be lowered from 70 km/h to 50 km/h and the dedicated bus lane will be suspended.
However, Mr Lui said the tidal-flow scheme had not led to any appreciable worsening in traffic congestion, and he was not expecting the new measures to cause any great delay for bus passengers.
The road surface is being rebuilt for the first time since the tunnel opened 27 years ago.
Improvements are also being made to the Lion Rock Tunnel Road lighting system and central crash barrier.
