Hong Kong authorities considering options for fourth harbour crossing
Lawmakers say another cross-harbour tunnel is necessary to alleviate persistent congestion in three existing ones and aid future development
Hong Kong authorities are looking beyond a shelved reclamation project near Lantau Island and considering options for a fourth cross-harbour tunnel, which lawmakers say is crucial for alleviating persistent congestion and sustaining the city’s growth.
Assistant Commissioner for Transport Leung Sai-ho told a radio show on Monday that authorities had previously been more confident about the viability of building a tunnel as part of the Kau Yi Chau reclamation project off Lantau Island.
“Since the timetable for the Kau Yi Chau project is unclear, we would like to be more flexible at this stage and see if we can find alternative routes,” he said, adding the government would consider traffic demands and costs when formulating an alternative plan.
In September last year, authorities shelved the controversial HK$580 billion (US$74.6 billion) project to build three artificial islands in the sea off Kau Yi Chau, citing the need to prioritise the Northern Metropolis megaproject, which will turn the area bordering mainland China into a technology and housing hub.
Under the shelved plan, also known as Lantau Tomorrow Vision, the government had aimed to build a third business district on the reclaimed area, with up to 210,000 homes for 550,000 residents on 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) of land.