No major cost-cutting changes expected for Trunk Road T4, Hong Kong official says after HK$7.16 billion funding request withdrawal
- Director of Civil Engineering and Development Michael Fong also says authorities planning to resubmit more detailed proposal to Legco soon
- ‘At the moment, we are still thoroughly looking into the possibility, but initially speaking, there isn’t much chance for major changes,’ he adds
Director of Civil Engineering and Development Michael Fong Hok-shing gave the public updates on the project’s progress on Wednesday and said authorities had been examining different options for Trunk Road T4, designed to connect Ma On Shan to Tsing Sha Highway and Shing Mun Tunnel Road.
“Recently we have been considering different options, whether we can take out some enhancement facilities or improvement works to lower the cost,” Fong told a radio programme. “At the moment we are still thoroughly looking into the possibility, but initially speaking, there isn’t much chance for major changes.”
Authorities withdrew a HK$7.16 billion (US$915 million) funding request for the proposed trunk road in Sha Tin last month, just a day before it was to be discussed in the Legislative Council on the grounds that lawmakers needed more information.
Legislators raised concerns over the significant rise in costs, more than six times the original HK$1.1 billion estimate in 2006, the project’s initial start year.
Fong said a variety of factors had contributed to the cost increases, including inflation over the years and changes to the original designs for the routes.
The latest proposal would involve the construction of two dual-lane trunk roads spanning 2.3km (1.4 miles), the widening of existing roads and the construction of elevated foot and cycling paths.
Fong said authorities wanted to polish the proposal document before it was resubmitted to the legislature soon for discussion on funding approval.
He added the government would canvass more views from the public and lawmakers to see what needed to be further explained about the project.
Fong said that if Legco approved the plan, the project could start at once and be completed in six years.
Sha Tin district councillor Chan Tan-tan said on the same programme that he agreed the proposed trunk road was needed because of the population increase in Ma On Shan, but added he remained concerned over the ballooning price tag.
“The increase in cost was shocking,” he said. “As the government is recording a deficit, our money needs to be used properly.”
Hong Kong authorities withdraw funding proposal for trunk road at last moment
He appealed to authorities to reveal more details about the project expenses in the “enriched” document.
As the government was also planning to build the Sha Tin Bypass connecting Tai Po and Kowloon West, Chan said the proposed T4 trunk road would be equally important and that both projects should be utilised together given the growing traffic in the area.
