Huge wall to cut highway noise misery

A WALL will be built to protect thousands of residents and school children from pollution and noise caused by the construction of a New Territories trunk road.

The wall, up to four metres high in some sections, is part of a $266 million package being demanded by the Environmental Protection Department to block out the future traffic noise created by Route 5.

Special noise absorbing road surfacing, road enclosures, and road barriers will be used to protect the 4,300 dwellings in the Tsuen Wan area between Shek Wai Kok and Chai Wan Kok.

Route 5 is part of the circle road network connecting Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan.

'The sound barrier will keep noise at an acceptable level for the residents who will be living along the route,' Highways Department senior engineer Hung Sing-yip said.

The permitted noise limit is 70 decibels, but increased traffic demands in the New Territories could create an environmental noise blackspot.