December 13, 2022
HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s newly opened transportation links will shorten transportation times for commuters and logistics companies, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po wrote in his official blog on Sunday.
The Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel and the Cross Bay Link opened at 8 am on Sunday. The toll-free tunnel and its connecting bridge are expected to help commuters save around 20 minutes when they travel between Lohas Park and Kwun Tong during peak hours.
“Whether it is land development or the construction of transportation infrastructure, it is often time-consuming,” the finance chief said. “Making forward-looking plans is necessary to create the space needed for economic growth.”
Chan noted that in the 25 years since the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region returned to the motherland, more than 360 kilometers of new roads have been built, bringing the total length of roads in the territory to over 2,100 km.
The toll-free Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel and the Cross Bay Link are expected to help commuters save around 20 minutes when they travel between Lohas Park and Kwun Tong during peak hours
“With the expansion of the railway network, many areas (in Hong Kong) that were previously considered remote have become popular destinations for recreation, dining and shopping,” he added.
Chan said many infrastructure projects over the past few decades raised doubts and sparked resistance when they were first proposed.
“But looking back many years later, they all have epoch-making strategic significance … creating convenience for Hong Kong to connect the country and the world, as well as providing an important foundation for improving the life quality of life of residents,” he said.
This aerial photo taken on Dec 8, 2022 shows the Tseung Kwan O Cross Bay Bridge in Hong Kong. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Chan signaled that the planned areas for the Northern Metropolis and the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands will provide two major supplies of land resources in Hong Kong over the next decade.
During the period, an estimated 1,300 hectares of land is set to be transformed into residential areas at designated sites, with construction yet to commence in the Northern Metropolis, while about one-third of the 1,000 hectares to be reclaimed from the sea will be filled near Kau Yi Chau.
“The two together provide 1,600 hectares of land, equivalent to half of the total supply of land reclamation projects led by the government in the following 10 years,” Chan said.