Cross-Harbour Tunnel

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel (abbreviated CHT or XHT) is the first tunnel in Hong Kong built underwater. It has become one of the most congested roads (mainly towards the Hong Kong Island direction) in Hong Kong and the world. The tunnel was constructed using the Immersed tube method.

History

Constructed by a private company and operated under a 30-year franchise, the 1.8 km-long tunnel crossing opened in 1972, providing the first road link between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Prior to the opening of the tunnel, cross-harbour vehicular traffic depended on ferries and for passengers, the Star Ferry.

The tunnel links the main financial and commercial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, connecting Kellett Island (a former island now connected to Hong Kong Island by reclamation), with a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon. The toll plaza is located at the Hung Hom end of the tunnel, and has 14 toll booths.

It was administered by The Cross-Harbour Tunnel Company Ltd until August 1999, when the operation franchise agreement expired and the government assumed control.

Congestion Problems

Although other road tunnels, the Eastern Harbour Crossing and Western Harbour Crossing, have been built across the Victoria Harbour to divert traffic from the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, traffic congestion has not improved. Two reasons include the less convenient locations of the other two tunnels compared with the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, and more importantly the control of new tunnels by the powerful state-owned investment group CITIC Pacific. The tolls for crossing each of the other two tunnels are significantly higher, and were further increased in 2005 by up to 67% to boost investment returns.^[1] Another possible reason for added traffic is induced demand, a theory in transportation planning which posits that the more roads that are created, the more people will choose to commute by car. In this case, by adding additional tunnels, it may have encouraged more people to drive overall, because of a perception that there is increased road capacity.

The Government of Hong Kong claimed it was powerless to prevent the sharp increase in tolls, and is currently looking at other options to relieve the traffic, including a plan to build a fourth harbour crossing tunnel. This may increase road capacity for the short run, but may actually increase road traffic in the future.

The Government states public buses (which are usually 90% full) cause congestion,^[2] it does not give buses priority access to the tunnel south bound and strongly encourages taking the MTR West Rail Line and then switching to Tsuen Wan Line at East Tsim Sha Tsui Station.

In late October 2010, a consultant hired by the Government finished a study to find out possible ways to ease the congestion on the Tunnel. In the study, they suggested that the Cross Harbour tunnel toll be raised by HKD 5 and the Eastern Harbour Crossing toll be reduced by HKD 5. This could halve the amount of traffic on the Cross Harbor tunnel. However, the Eastern Harbour Crossing is owned by a private company, therefore, the Government of Hong Kong cannot control the tolls there. The only way they can do this is by buying back the tunnel from the company, but that is unlikely until the franchise ends in 2016. So the Government plans to pay the tunnel operator the difference if the toll is reduced. Many people have suggested that the traffic be diverted equally among the three tunnels. But if all the tunnels were HKD 25, a massive traffic jam would be created at the Western Harbour Crossing because the exit on the Hong Kong Island side to Route 4 (Hong Kong) towards Central is already under heavy congestion during rush hour. This problem will persist until the Central-Wan Chai Bypass is completed. However one local who lives in the western part of Hong Kong Island wrote to the South China Morning Post saying that the whole reason why the Route 4 (Hong Kong) towards Central has traffic problems is because drivers from the residential areas from western Hong Kong are driving round the Western Harbour Crossing and onto Route 4, causing the traffic problem. If the toll was reduced he says, it will not only ease congestion on the Cross Harbour Tunnel but also on the Route 4.

Transport

Bus routes that pass through the tunnel:

• Kowloon Motor Bus/New World First Bus: 101, 101R, 102R, 104, 106, 106P, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 115P, 116, 301, 305
• Kowloon Motor Bus/Citybus: 102, 102P, 103, 107, 107P, 117, 118, 118P, 170, 171, 171P, 182, 182P, 807
• Kowloon Motor Bus: 108, 336
• Overnights: N11, N118, N121, N122, N170, N171, N182, N368

See also

• List of tunnels and bridges in Hong Kong
• Megaproject

References