Exclusive | Delay in building main road to Hong Kong Port sparks congestion fears as bridge to Macau prepares to open

Vehicles planning to use Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau link will be diverted down auxiliary road, raising fears infrastructure near airport might struggle to cope

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The main route to the Hong Kong Port area of the mega bridge. Photo: Roy Issa

Published: 8:00am, 29 Sep 2018Updated: 12:19pm, 29 Sep 2018

The long-awaited Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge may be ready to open soon, but the main road to its Hong Kong Port will be delayed until next year sparking fears an auxiliary road near the airport will become heavily congested, the Post has learned.

According to a source, the southern connection of the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Lok link – the quickest access near Tai Ho that shortens travelling time to the port – would not be completed by this year as the government had planned.

Before the main road’s opening, all vehicles going to the port on an artificial island off Chek Lap Kok will be squeezed onto a two-lane single carriageway near SkyCity, a commercial complex next to Hong Kong International Airport. The port is where customs and immigration facilities are located.

“But this single carriageway is very narrow as it originally serves as an auxiliary road to the bridge. Compared to the main road, it will take at least 10 to 15 minutes longer to the Hong Kong Port,” the source said.

“Transport industry players are really worried that it can’t cope with the bridge traffic and could cause severe congestion.”

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