Construction of the long-planned Central-Wan Chai bypass will start by the end of the year, the government announced yesterday.
It said the HK$28 billion project, after clearing all its legal obstacles, was approved by the Executive Council on Tuesday and would be submitted to the Legislative Council, to seek funding.
But the Society for the Protection of the Harbour, which has mounted a series of legal challenges to the project, warned it would not rule out further legal action unless the government explained clearly why the project was not being co-ordinated with the Sha Tin-to-Central rail link, part of which would follow a similar route.
The 4.5km bypass, along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, consisting mainly of a six-lane tunnel, will involve permanent reclamation of 12.7 hectares of the harbour and temporary reclamation of the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter.
The route will go underground at the Rumsey Street flyover near the Two IFC tower, pass Admiralty and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, emerge near the typhoon shelter and connect to the Island Eastern Corridor.
'There is a compelling need for the bypass to ease the serious traffic congestion along Connaught Road Central, Harcourt Road and Gloucester Road,' a government spokesman said, adding that a journey from Central to Causeway Bay took at least 15 minutes, and much more during peak hours 'If nothing is done, by 2017 the route will take 45 minutes.'
A byproduct of the bypass will be a HK$4.6 billion package of developments in northern Wan Chai and North Point on the reclaimed land after construction is completed.