Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai Mega-Bridge Project

[DanielFigFoz]

Originally Posted by hkskyline

It's actually a cargo link rather than a leisure link. It was designed to allow goods from the western part of the delta to reach HK for export. Goods trucks that ply China and HK have dual licenses, which are affixed to vehicles. It was not intended for families to drive on it for a weekend outing to Macau or Zhuhai.

What about weekend outings to Hong Kong?

But more seriously, will cars be allowed to pass over the bridge. Most people don't have cars in these cities, but even I know that quite a lot of people do, and I can tell that from my computer. If cars are going to be allowed pass, they will.

P.S According to wikipedia there are 584 000 (2009) private motor vehicles in HK, which is less than I thought, but still not that little.
In Macau there are 146 000 private motor vehicles.

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by DanielFigFoz

What about weekend outings to Hong Kong?

But more seriously, will cars be allowed to pass over the bridge. Most people don't have cars in these cities, but even I know that quite a lot of people do, and I can tell that from my computer. If cars are going to be allowed pass, they will.

P.S According to wikipedia there are 584 000 (2009) private motor vehicles in HK, which is less than I thought, but still not that little.
In Macau there are 146 000 private motor vehicles.

Well, cars need to be properly licensed in both jurisdictions in order to pass through the bridge.

Keep in mind despite the number of cars in HK, people typically don't use them too much compared to the Americans.

[DanielFigFoz]

True those Americans do drive a lot

[hkskyline]

Environmental impact study of delta bridge challenged in court
23 March 2011
South China Morning Post

A public consultation carried out by the government on construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge was unable to serve its purpose because the project's environmental impact study did not meet assessment standards, a court heard yesterday.

Chu Yee-wah, a Tung Chung resident, is challenging the impact study as well as the granting of permits for certain parts of the huge infrastructure project.

Chu earlier filed an application for a judicial review of Environmental Protection Department director Anissa Wong Sean-yee's decision in 2009 to approve impact reports and grant environmental permits to construct certain sections of the massive project.

"Members of the public can comment on a compliant report," Chu's barrister, Philip Dykes SC, said yesterday. "But if a report is non-compliant, the process is defeated."

Dykes said the process of consultation was important as it allowed the public to comment, and the director of environmental protection to take into consideration things that might have been overlooked.

Yesterday saw the first day of a four-day hearing on the review application at the High Court before Mr Justice Joseph Fok.

The impact study and granting of permits under challenge concern border-crossing facilities and a section of the bridge in Hong Kong known as the Hong Kong Link Road. Chu criticised the reports drafted by consultants, saying they do not comply with requirements imposed on them.

Chu's application argued that an important aspect of the impact study was the public's evaluation of how acceptable a project's environmental cost would be.

Chu, 65, who is retired, has diabetes and a heart condition. She is contending that the construction and operation of the projects in question would affect her health. She is receiving legal aid for the application, and was not present at the hearing yesterday.

Chu's legal team argued the reports failed to consider the bridge's impact on public health. Experts cited in her application said the impact reports ignored pollution such as fine suspended particles and sulphur dioxide, and that an assumption in one report that the project would not generate ozone was invalid and unscientific.

Speaking in court yesterday, Dykes said the impact reports had not mentioned the limitations of a model used to predict regional air quality.

The model, called "Pollutants in the Atmosphere and the Transport over Hong Kong", was developed by the Environmental Protection Department.

Construction of the bridge is scheduled to begin this year and to be completed by 2016. The estimated cost of the entire project, including the bridge and connecting facilities, is 72.9 billion yuan (HK$83 billion).

Edwin Town, deputy chairman of the executive committee at Clear The Air, an organisation supporting air-pollution reduction measures, said environmental impact assessment reports frequently left out important information.

Clear The Air was supporting Chu's application, said Town outside the court yesterday.

[snapdragon]

I personally believe this whole environment fear mongering is just cover to what really is the main inbuilt worry . The integration of Hong kong into mainland China . That is what hkgers mostly resent and and see this project as a representation of them losing their independent identity .Thats my personal view

[hkskyline]

New doubt over Shenzhen-Zhongshan link
8 April 2011
SCMP

A project to give Shenzhen much-wanted direct acess to the western Pearl River Delta is in danger of being shelved again.

Shenzhen first came up with the plan to build an underwater tunnel or a bridge to connect it with Zhongshan about five years ago - shortly after its request to be included in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge scheme was rejected by Beijing due to Hong Kong's strong reaction.

Shenzhen responded by proposing to build the tunnel or bridge, which also raised concerns in Hong Kong as the project was to run parallel to the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge. Some mainland experts estimated that the Shenzhen-Zhongshan corridor could lure 40 per cent of the bridge's likely traffic away.

However, Shenzhen could not get political backing from either the provincial or the central government - both wanted the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge to have priority - and the plan was set aside.

Shenzhen revived the idea last year - this time apparently with the Guangdong government's blessing. Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua said in January that the project would be included in its 12th five-year plan. It was estimated to cost around 30 billion yuan (HK$35.6 billion).

But just as Shenzhen thought it had finally got what it wanted, it was told that the National Development and Reform Commission - the mainland's top economic planner - had decided to build a bridge between Humen in Dongguan and Nansha in Guangzhou as part of its regional railway project.

It was a serious blow for Shenzhen as a Humen-Nansha bridge would run parallel to the Shenzhen-Zhongshan corridor, leaving the latter with little chance of being given approval.

Some politicians in Shenzhen were disappointed that the city had once again been left out.

"In the past, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge was put on hold because the central government wanted to support Hong Kong," said Jin Xinyi , a member of the Shenzhen committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"Shenzhen has already been marginalised last time because we had to care for people in Hong Kong and Macau," Jin said. "Now Guangzhou also wants to take away our bread."

Some Shenzhen political delegates to the national and provincial assemblies complained in private that delegates from Hong Kong had for years tried to shoot down the Shenzhen-Zhongshan link project in order to protect Hong Kong's position.

The latest twist again exposed the behind-the-scene rivalries among Pearl River Delta cities.

Many in Shenzhen felt the city was not competing on a level playing field with Hong Kong, which they said had the ear of Beijing, and Guangzhou, the provincial capital.

Jin admitted the future of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan corridor was now far from certain.

"It may have been included in Guangdong's 12th five-year plan. But there is no timetable and they haven't even decided the landing point locations. Now we suddenly have this new bridge [between Humen and Dongguan]. This is not what Shenzhen had anticipated."

Jin said the rivalries would leave the region divided and the ultimate winner would be Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta. "Who is happy to see Hong Kong fail? Who wants to replace its position? It's not Shenzhen. It's Shanghai."

Ding Li , an expert on regional economics at the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, said the Guangzhou to Dongguan link made more economic sense.

"First Guangzhou is an more important engine in driving [the economy of] whole Guangdong. It's natural the provincial and central government will consider it ahead of Shenzhen. Second, we have already invested a lot on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge. Do we need another one so close to it?

"In the end this is all about rivalries among Pearl River Delta cities. Beijing will be the arbitrator."

[EricIsHim]

SZ doens't get the bridge it wants and lose a direct link, but at the same time the city will sit in between two major east-west link in the future. I guess SZ won't lose everything at the end.

[hkskyline]

Abridged
The Standard
Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Construction work on the giant bridge linking Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macau may be further delayed after the High Court ruled an environmental impact assessment was not done properly.

The judge ruled in favor of Tung Chung resident Chu Yee-wah, 65, who filed a judicial review.

Court of First Instance Justice Joseph Fok ordered the permits for some infrastructure work granted by director of environmental protection Anissa Wong Sean-yee in 2009 to be quashed.

Justice Fok said the absence of an analysis of the environmental conditions without the project in place in the assessment reports means they do not comply with a government technical memorandum and the study briefs of the project.

"It therefore follows that the director had no power to approve them, nor did she have power to grant the environmental permits" for the parts of the project questioned.

He said it is "highly material" for the director and public to know the predicted nitrogen dioxide levels with and without the projects in place so that the director can determine whether those increases are acceptable.

In so doing, he said, the public can be made aware of the extent to which the proposed project will change the environmental conditions.

The Environmental Protection Department said it will study the judgment and seek legal advice on its next step.

Hong Kong construction work on the bridge was scheduled to start early this year and be completed by 2016.

A spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau said: "We will continue to press ahead with the advance works of the local projects, and will look into ways on how to carry forward the works - such as to proceed or complete the works in phases - to endeavor to tie in with the target of completing and commissioning the bridge in 2016."

The assessment reports are on the boundary crossing facilities to be built on reclaimed land in the northeastern waters near Chek Lap Kok and a nearby link road.

Construction was due to start in the third quarter last year but has not yet started, while the link road was slated to be built from this year.

A member of the Legislative Council's panel on transport, Lau Kong-wah, said the later the start of the construction work, the higher the cost may go.

Another panel member, Wong Sing- chi, said the government should not appeal the decision and instead fix the problems in the environmental assessment as soon as possible.

Solicitor Wong Hok-ming, who represented Chu, said he is satisfied with the ruling.

Although the bridge will enhance the economic development of the Pearl River Delta, he insisted the environmental impact assessment of such a large-scale development must not be "carelessly done."

Wong, a member of the Civic Party, denied Chu has any political affiliation, though she had volunteered for the party.

[hkskyline]

THB's response to court's judgement on Judicial Review in respect of environmental impact assessment of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
Monday, April 18, 2011
Government Press Release

In response to media enquiries on the judgement handed down by the High Court on a judicial review case in respect of the environmental impact assessment of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), a spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau said:

“The HZMB project is a cross-boundary transport infrastructure project that has been under planning for a long time. It has very important strategic value in terms of further enhancement of the economic integration and development between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The commissioning of the project will bring a new era for the transportation connections between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The HZMB will not only inject impetus to Hong Kong's long-term economic development, but also bring new opportunities to the various key sectors in Hong Kong, including tourism, financial, trade, commercial and logistics industries etc.

Among the seven contentions which the applicant raised in the judicial review application, we noted that the Court did not accept six of them which were related to environmental standards. The Court made its ruling on the ground that the Government had only provided the projected environmental conditions with the project in place and had failed to present separate data on the environmental conditions without the project in place.

We will study the judgement and its implications before deciding how to handle the aforesaid procedural issue, having regard to the requirements of the law, as soon as possible. Works of the Main Bridge have already commenced. We will continue to press ahead with the advance works of the local projects, and will look into ways on how to carry forward the works, such as to proceed or complete the works in phases, to endeavour to tie in with the target of completing and commissioning the Bridge in 2016.

[hkskyline]

Top court appeal over mega bridge
The Standard
Thursday, May 05, 2011

The government is to appeal against a court ruling that quashed the environmental permit for the Hong Kong- Zhuhai-Macau bridge in a move that may further delay construction.

The action will be taken in the Court of Final Appeal this week on the grounds it is not mandatory under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance for the government to assess air quality without the project in place, a source said.

The source said the authorities are also preparing to counter the High Court's claim that the assessment report is "substandard" and that the government needs to reassess the environmental impact of proposed boundary-crossing facilities.

Last month, Chu Yee-wah, a 65-year-old Tung Chung resident who is in poor health, successfully argued the Environmental Protection Department had failed to conduct the necessary assessments before granting permits for the construction of the mega bridge, which passes close to her residence.

Chu's lawyer, Alan Wong Hok-ming, said yesterday the legal battle could drag on for six months or more.

Work on the Hong Kong section of the bridge was scheduled to begin late last year and be completed in 2016, but work has not yet started because of the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, the earlier High Court ruling has had a knock-on effect, with the MTR Corp withdrawing impact assessment reports for its Sha Tin-Central rail link.

A transport advisory body had raised concerns over the progress of the 17-kilometer line.

Transport Advisory Committee chairman Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung said if many changes are needed, the railway operator may postpone the public consultation exercise scheduled to end early next year.

[hkskyline]

Party lines drawn as Tsang hits out over bridge blow
The Standard
Friday, May 20, 2011

The chief executive yesterday accused political parties of using environmental protection to disrupt major infrastructure projects, hindering social prosperity and putting Hong Kong at risk of being marginalized.

Donald Tsang Yam-kuen did not name any particular party but it was evident he was referring to the Civic Party, which allegedly helped a 66-year-old Tung Chung woman in her successful judicial review of the legality of the environmental assessment report for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge.

"I am aware of some opinions from the community that some political party politicians are using legal action and other means to disrupt major infrastructure just before kickoff in the name of environmental protection and conservation," Tsang said. "They do so regardless of whether it undermines the overall and long-term interest of Hong Kong for their political objectives.

"The public is tired of unceasing political fights and outrageous slogans. We need more people to do useful work for Hong Kong."

But Tsang said the administration respects the rule of law and will use legal means to solve the challenges.

He said later it is difficult to quantify losses arising from the delay in construction of the bridge but the government could lose as much as HK$2 billion a year in revenue.

He also said assessment reports for another 80 projects may have to be redone, causing further delays.

Tsang's remarks were supported by lawmaker Lau Kong- wah of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, who condemned a party, which he did not name, for "abusing judicial procedures" to delay the construction of infrastructure approved by the Legislative Council.

Civic Party lawmaker Alan Leong Kah-kit said Tsang's remarks show a lack of respect for the rule of law.

"Lawmakers had warned of the legality of the current environmental impact assessment procedures but the government turned a deaf ear," Leong said.

Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan said Tsang's remarks are "extremely regrettable" as they could put pressure on the impartiality of the judicial system.

New People Party chairwoman and former government official Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said: "There is no way the judicial procedures are being abused."

The administration has appealed against the High Court ruling and estimates construction will be delayed for at least half a year.

[hkskyline]

Builders fear project politics toll
The Standard
Monday, May 23, 2011

A union for construction workers is calling for an end to the politicizing of construction projects, saying it is putting more than 140,000 jobs at risk.

And to drive their point home, some 30 members of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union marched to SAR government headquarters yesterday.

The group said court challenges against environmental impact assessments of various projects are threatening their jobs because of the delays caused. The union claims the 140,000 figure was reached by taking into account the more than 70 projects delayed this year.

These projects include the Hong Kong- Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the MTR's Sha Tin-to-Central Link, and six roads.

"If they really want to do a more comprehensive environmental study, they should have done it much earlier," said Hong Kong Construction Industry Bar-Bending Workers Union chairman Luk Kwan-ngai.

"Having such a study after a project has been announced is just politicking."

Luk said the delays have come at a bad time, as more people have recently shown an interest in joining the industry because of the pay increase announced this year.

Negotiations with employers have resulted in the Bar-Bending Workers Union securing a pay hike that will see members paid HK$1,360 a day by 2013. And with the government announcing it was earmarking HK$49.6 billion for various projects, some 62,500 jobs stood to be created.

But Luk said the project delays have seen employers incur additional costs, making them unwilling to increase wages.

The bar benders' union claims that the need for environmental impact studies is causing delays to HK$112 billion worth of projects.

HKCIEGU chairman Chow Luen-kiu estimated that industry unemployment rates will triple to 18.5 percent in the absence of an improvement in the situation. Chow said it would be difficult for construction workers like bar benders, carpenters and welders to find new jobs because their skills are specific to the industry.

Transport secretary Eva Cheng Yu-wah said on Wednesday she is working with the Environmental Protection Department to improve assessments on the rail project, which is already two years behind schedule.

In April, a wrench was thrown in the works of the bridge project when a 66-year-old Tung Chung woman was allegedly helped by a political party in her successful judicial review of the legality of its EIA report.

[hkskyline]

Tsang a sore loser over bridge delay
25 May 2011
South China Morning Post

Since a High Court judge threw out the environmental impact assessment of key projects for the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, critics have singled out Civic Party vice-chairman Albert Lai Kwong-tak, a veteran green campaigner, as an opponent of development and integration with the mainland. They have a right to express their opinion. The mainland has already begun building the main span of the bridge, so concerns about a delay on our side are understandable. But it was surprising to hear Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen not only echoing these views, but criticising the decision of opponents to take the matter to court.

Tsang said on Thursday during a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council that "a certain party and politicians" were using the courts to further their political interests by blocking major projects on environmental grounds and ignoring the interests of Hong Kong.

If the retired Tung Chung resident who applied for the judicial review - with the support of the Civic Party - had lost the case, Tsang's comment would still have been provocative. But the point in this case, surely, is that the Tung Chung resident won. The judge ruled that the director of environmental protection had no power to approve the impact assessment reports in the absence of separate analysis of likely environmental conditions if the projects were not built.

The court would not have accepted the application for a judicial review if it had had no legal merit. Moreover, the application, by a diabetic woman with a heart condition who said that the extra traffic would affect her health, raised issues of public interest. The ruling in her favour shows the challenge was not vexatious.

That said, the multibillion-dollar bridge across the Pearl River estuary might now be delayed for months. We do need to get things done. Indeed, Hong Kong prides itself on a deserved reputation for delivering big infrastructure projects. Tsang says more than 70 other projects now face being held up because of the ruling. But everyone affected by new projects should have access to the law. In this case, the ruling showed the government was not going about it the right way. A flaw in the process has been identified. The risk that many projects may now be held up shows the importance of getting it right.

As chief executive, Tsang should think carefully about making such public statements, especially since the courts have still to hear an appeal by the government against the ruling. He must be careful not to create a perception that the courts might have been influenced by his remarks. His concern with advancing the city's interests by getting things done is understandable. But his comments send the wrong message. Our best interests are served by the rule of law under an independent judiciary. It is, after all, one of the things that sets Hong Kong apart as a place to do business.

[hkskyline]

New route taken on giant bridge appeal
The Standard
Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Highways Department is not required to carry out a separate environmental impact assessment of the likely air quality if the giant Hong Kong- Macau-Zhuhai bridge is not built.

That is the argument the Court of Appeal heard yesterday, after environmental protection director Anissa Wong Sean-yee challenged a Court of First Instance verdict quashing her decision to approve the construction of key elements of the Hong Kong section of the bridge.

Wong's lawyer, senior counsel Benjamin Yu, said the EIA study briefs issued by her do not require the Highways Department, as the project proposer, to conduct such an analysis.

Court vice president Justice Robert Tang Ching then asked if the director could refuse to approve an EIA report if she finds the project's forecast emission levels to be too high.

Yu said the government's technical memorandum on assessments says the director shall - not "may" - approve EIA reports after public inspection and consultation with the Advisory Council on the Environment, if required.

Wong's appeal came after the lower court found in April that impact assessments of two key construction projects were not conducted properly. It ruled in favor of Tung Chung resident Chu Yee-wah, 65, who filed a judicial review saying vehicular pollution on the bridge would worsen her health.

The EIA reports concern boundary- crossing facilities to be built on reclaimed land in waters northeast of Chek Lap Kok and a nearby link road.

Court of First Instance judge Joseph Fok had on April 18 ordered the permits for the two infrastructure works that Wong granted in 2009 to be quashed.

He said the absence in the EIA reports of an analysis of environmental conditions without the project in place means the reports do not comply with a government technical memorandum and the study briefs of the project.

Justice Fok said it is "highly material" for the director and public to know the projected nitrogen dioxide levels with and without the project in place - so the director may determine whether the increases are acceptable.

He added that merely meeting air quality guidelines cannot be the sole determining factor.

The challenge is being heard by Justice Tang, Justice Michael Hartmann and Justice Carlye Chu Fun-ling. The hearing will likely last till tomorrow.

[hkskyline]

Ruling says bridge not too far
The Standard
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The government has got the go-ahead to build the giant Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge after the Court of Appeal overturned a lower court ruling quashing the environmental protection director's approval of the project.

Welcoming the decision, Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng Yu-wah said the government will soon seek funding from the Legislative Council. The aim is to start construction by the year-end so the bridge can be open for use in 2016, as scheduled.

Also on the agenda is increased manpower and a revision of work methods to cut work time, though this could add a further HK$6.5 billion to the multi-billion-dollar project.

The ruling means dozens of construction projects earlier put on hold will now likely go through the usual vetting process.

A three-judge bench at the Court of Appeal unanimously overturned the Court of First Instance ruling - passed in April - on a judicial review alleging government failure to conduct proper environmental impact assessments of two key elements of the project.

The review was filed in January last year by Tung Chung resident Chu Yee-wah, 65, a sometime Civic Party volunteer.

Asked yesterday if she will lodge an appeal, Chu said: "I won't get involved in it any longer. I have no intention to stir it up. But they told me about it and I was unclear."

As to who told her to file a review, she said: "Whoever told me to do it, I won't disclose it. I have been fooled. Let it be."

She spoke of being worried earlier that work on the bridge's Hong Kong section would affect the environment, and thus the health of the elderly and children in particular.

But she later felt upset on hearing that many job opportunities would not be created unless the bridge is built.

Her counsel argued that the authorities failed to carry out a "stand-alone" assessment of likely environmental conditions without the proposed Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge.

The boundary-crossing project is to be built on reclaimed land in waters northeast of Chek Lap Kok and a nearby link road.

Court of Appeal vice-president Justice Robert Tang Ching said in the written judgment that neither a government technical memorandum nor the study briefs of the projects required a stand-alone assessment in the EIA reports.

He said they just require the Highways Department, as the project proposer, to conduct an assessment of the cumulative impact.

Tang added: "It is often a question of professional judgment what information is required to be contained in an EIA report [to let environmental protection director Anissa Wong Sean-yee perform her duties]."

The court, he said, cannot interfere unless the director's judgment is unreasonable.

The Environmental Protection Department also welcomed the ruling.

Green groups, meanwhile, urged that the government carry out a strategic environmental assessment on the cumulative impact of projects, including the proposed bridge and expansion of Chek Lap Kok airport.

[hkskyline]

Civic Party told to be upfront over bridge challenge role
The Standard
Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Civic Party has been urged to be upfront about its role in the failed legal challenge to the environmental assessment for the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge.

Accusations have been flying that the party was behind the lawsuit lodged by Tung Chung resident Chu Yee-wah, 65.

The review delayed construction of the bridge for months and could add HK$6.5 billion to the original HK$60 billion project.

The Court of Appeal on Tuesday overturned a lower court ruling quashing the environmental protection director's approval of the project.

Although the party's leader, Alan Leong Kah-kit, stressed on Tuesday that the Civic Party had nothing to do with the lawsuit, Liberal Party vice chairwoman Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee said Leong's party owes Hong Kong people an explanation.

The Liberal Party published a statement in several Chinese-language newspapers today to demand an explanation.

Chow said she is skeptical about the Civic Party's role because Chu is a party volunteer and her solicitor, Alan Wong Hok-ming, is also a party member.

The Civic Party has been giving contradictory replies, Chow claimed.

She said that party vice chairman Albert Lai Kwong-tak said the party has never contacted Chu. But Leong has admitted the party has given her advice.

Chow said the party should not "underestimate the public's wisdom" by not explaining up front.

After losing the lawsuit, Chu gave hints that there was someone behind it.

"I had no intention to stir it up. But they told me about it and I was unclear," she said.

Chow said the Civic Party must explain whether it has received any benefits from the lawsuit.

[hkskyline]

TAC discusses trade licence and progress of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Government Press Release Excerpt

The Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) discussed today (November 29) the Government's proposal to introduce a new form of trade licence to facilitate the re-exporting of left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles via Hong Kong, and the progress of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) project.

**********************************

Members were also briefed on the progress of HZMB-related infrastructure projects in Hong Kong, namely the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities, Hong Kong Link Road, and the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link. The HZMB project is a major cross-boundary transport infrastructure project that has a very important strategic value in further enhancing the economic development of Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland.

"We note the Government's plan to commence works for the projects as soon as possible, so as to tie in with the commissioning of the HZMB Main Bridge in 2016. Members also noted that the Government had started discussion with the relevant Mainland and Macao authorities on the cross-boundary transport arrangements of the HZMB," said Mr Yuen.

TAC members were also updated on the development of various Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) applications to provide traffic information to the public, as well as for traffic control and enforcement.

"Members were pleased to note that the Transport Department (TD) launched the mobile application and website of the Hong Kong eTransport and the mobile website of the Driving Route Search Service in August 2011 and would develop more mobile applications by 2012 to facilitate the general public's access to more traffic information anytime, anywhere for free," said Mr Yuen.

Members also noted that the TD was implementing a project to erect Speed Map Panels at strategic locations in the New Territories to inform motorists of the traffic conditions ahead. These new initiatives to disseminate more real-time traffic information to motorists will help them make better choice of routes, reduce journey time, and will help achieve the overall traffic management objective. Upon the completion of the Traffic and Incident Management System by 2015, the TD will provide even more real-time traffic and transport information to the public.

[lkiller123]

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has won a HK$6.989bn (£576m) reclamation contract as part of the work for the Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge (HZMB).

The Construction Index
Nov 30, 2011‎

Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong and Aecom Asia are consultants for the scheme.

The reclamation work is for the Hong Kong boundary crossing facilities for the HZMB. The link will be almost 30km long, including almost 22.8km on bridges.

CHEC’s contract will start straightaway and is expected to complete in early 2016. The work involves reclamation of 150ha at the north east of the Hong Kong International Airport for the construction of artificial island. The project also includes construction of about 6,140m of seawall, which is mainly made up of 134 steel sheet pile cellular structure with diameters of 27m or 31m. More than 19 million cubic metres of backfilled materials will be used to support subsequent superstructure construction. The work will use ground treatment technology to achieve the strength within a short period.

Letting the contract had been delayed following a judicial review in relation to air quality issues in the environmental assessments and permits for this and another scheme. The review has now concluded, allowing work to resume. Bringing the schemes back on track is expected to cost at least an additional HK$6.5bn (£536m), which was approved this month. The additional costs include the use of faster construction methods to make up time.

http://www.theconstructionindex.co.u...ation-contract

[lkiller123]

China completes main structure for artificial island on world longest cross-sea bridge

BEIJING, Dec 8 (APP): China has completed the steel structure for a man-made island, which will help link Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai in the world’s longest cross-sea bridge project. The island is part of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a massive project that will span the Pearl River mouth to connect the three cities through bridges and tunnels. The last of 59 gigantic steel pillars was inserted into the sea on Wednesday morning to mark the boundary of the 300,000-square-meter island, which will be completed after sands and rocks fillings, said Yang Zenglin, a spokesman for the project.

Located near the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the island is the eastern one of two artificial islands built for the project, reports Xinhua news agency.
The western island, near Macao Special Administrative Region and Zhuhai, a city in Guangdong province, had its main structure completed in September.
A 6-km underwater tunnel will then be built to link the two islands, while bridges will connect the two islands with the three cities, Yang said.
The project, with a total length of 29.6 km, is estimated to cost 73 billion yuan (11.5 billion U.S. dollars) and is expected to complete by the end of 2016.

[lkiller123]

Bridge funding approved
November 18, 2011
Hong Kong Information Services Department

Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng today welcomed legislators’ endorsement of $48.5 billion to fund Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge projects.

Speaking to the media after attending a Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting, Ms Cheng said the approval reflects the sentiment of Hong Kong people who do not want to see huge infrastructure projects delayed.

The money will fund Hong Kong boundary crossing facilities, the Hong Kong Link Road as well as the detailed design of Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link.

“For the three funding approvals today we are talking about an addition of 14,000 jobs to be created. We welcome these funding approvals and we will now proceed in earnest,” she said.

“We will start the works before the end of this year. Our target now is to complete these facilities in line with the main bridge completion of 2016."

Although the start of the works has been delayed for a year, Ms Cheng said the administration will catch up on the progress through the compression of programmes, and by implementing additional machinery and manpower.