Artificial islands off Lantau could allow Hong Kong to build 4th cross-harbour tunnel without passing congested urban areas, transport minister says
- Another crossing is necessary as city’s traffic flow exceeds capacity of existing three tunnels, transport minister Lam Sai-hung says
- ‘It’s not easy to find a strategic location for another cross-harbour tunnel,’ he adds
New artificial islands to be built near Lantau could allow Hong Kong to construct its fourth cross-harbour tunnel without going through congested urban areas, the city’s transport minister has said while discussing long-term strategies to tackle traffic issues.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung’s laid out his reasoning on Saturday, a few days after the government announced its plan to adjust the tolls for the city’s three cross-harbour tunnels in an effort to redistribute an unbalanced traffic flow.
Lam conceded that a fourth crossing would be necessary as the city’s traffic flow exceeded the capacity of the three tunnels, even with the cross-harbour extension of the East Rail Line helping ease congestion.
“Currently all [cross-harbour] tunnels go through Kowloon,” he said on a radio programme. “Could we have an opportunity to bypass Kowloon and [connect New Territories] to Hong Kong Island?”
He noted that the entrances of the existing cross-harbour tunnels were in West Kowloon, Hung Hom and Kwun Tong.
“Now it’s not easy to find a strategic location for another cross-harbour tunnel,” he said. “New Territories could be connected to Hong Kong Island via Kau Yi Chau. There is a strategic location here.”
The Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands Development project, part of the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, will reclaim about 1,000 hectares of land and build three artificial islands. It is expected to house more than half a million people in space-starved Hong Kong, provide more than 200,000 jobs and develop the city’s third central business district.