Central-Mid-Levels escalators
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The Central-Mid-levels escalators (Traditional Chinese: 中環至半山自動扶梯) in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. Hong Kong Island is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, which makes it the home of some rather unusual methods of transport up and down the slopes.
The whole system is 800 m long, and the vertical climb is 135 m. Total travel time is twenty minutes, but most people walk while the system moves to shorten their trip. Due to its vertical climb, the same distance is equivalent to several miles of zigzagging roads if travelled by car. It consists of twenty escalators and three moving sidewalks. Daily traffic exceeds 45,000 people. It has been operating since 1993. It cost HK$240 million (US$30 million) to build.
It was officially opened to the public on 15 October 1994. It plays a very important role in transport in Hong Kong since it links Des Voeux Road in Central with Conduit Road in the Mid-levels, passing through narrow streets.
The escalator daily runs downhill from 6:00am to 10:00am and uphill from 10:30am to midnight. Apart from serving as a method of transport it is also a tourist attraction and has restaurants, bars, and shops lining its route. There is an entrance and exit on each road it passes, and using it is free of charge.
Smoking is prohibited in the escalator area, but a small number of people disregard this, despite the no smoking signs throughout the route.
It is managed by the Guardian Property Management Limited.
[edit] Reshaping of landscape
Since the escalator system opened, most pedestrians gather at the elevated level; previously they gathered at the street level. Many restaurants have been opened adjacent to the elevated level, in the first or second floors of buildings already present.
[edit] See also
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