Central–Wan Chai Bypass

"Island Eastern Corridor Link" redirects here. For the expressway that connects Causeway Bay and Chai Wan, see Island Eastern Corridor.

Central-Wan Chai Bypass
Part of Route 4
Route information
Length: 4 km (2 mi)
History: Opening 2017
Major junctions
East end: North Point
West end: Central
Location
Districts: Wan Chai, Central and Western
Highway system
Hong Kong Strategic Route and Exit Number System

The Central–Wan Chai Bypass is a four-kilometre trunk road, currently under construction, running between Central and Fortress Hill on Hong Kong Island. The original design consists of a 2.3 km dual three-lane tunnel running under new reclamation areas which will be provided by Central and Wan Chai Reclamation project,[1] and also connections to Connaught Road West flyover and Island Eastern Corridor. When completed, it will substitute Connaught Road Central, Harcourt Road and Gloucester Road to be part of Route 4.[2]

History

The project, originally estimated to cost $28 billion, was approved by the Legislative Council finance committee in 2009, following a "decade of objections and legal challenges" from environmentalists and citizens concerned by further reclamation of Victoria Harbour.[3] An Environmental Permit was issued under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance and construction began the same year.

Lawmakers were "shocked" in 2013 by cost overruns. The Transport and Housing Bureau requested $8 billion in extra funding, bringing the total bill to $36 billion. Gary Fan, a member of LegCo's transport panel, asked: "Did the government deliberately underestimate the cost in order to get Legco to pass it?"[3] The government bureau blamed unforeseen geotechnical difficulties as well as fluctuating labour and materials costs for the 28 per cent budget increase.[3]

Alignment

The bypass will start from Rumsey Street Flyover at Sheung Wan. It enters a tunnel outside the International Finance Centre in Central, then heads east past the Tamar site with an interchange at Wan Chai. It continues to head east under the proposed reclamation areas of Wan Chai. The original design to have the bypass leave the tunnel and connect with Island Eastern Corridor at Causeway Bay[1] was amended so that now the bypass emerges from the tunnel between the IEC carriageways, merging with them near Oil Street, Fortress Hill.[4]

Tunnel ventilation

Ventilation is an indispensable part for the operation of the tunnel as it will supply fresh air to maintain good air-quality environment to the commuters inside the tunnel while discharge vitiated air in a controlled manner at pre-determined suitable locations of exhaust. The tunnel ventilation system is also required to remove smoke in case of tunnel fire incidents. It is proposed to have three ventilation buildings sited near the western end, mid-length and eastern end of the Bypass to achieve the three objectives of supplying fresh air, extracting vitiated air and removing smoke during fire.

To achieve an energy efficient ventilation system by shortening the air extraction path, the location of proposed East Ventilation Building (EVB) needs to be as close to the tunnel portal as possible.[5]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Central–Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link
  2. ↑ Route Diagram – Route 4
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Siu, Phila (13 November 2013). "Anger as bill for Central-Wan Chai Bypass goes up HK$8b to HK$36b". South China Morning Post.
  4. ↑ Public Engagement Digest - Harbourfront Enhancement Review
  5. ↑ Central - Wan Chai Bypass Connecting Island Eastern Corridor Enhancement Scheme for East Ventilation Building Public Consultation Leaflet

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Central-Wan Chai Bypass.
Central–Wan Chai Bypass
Preceded by
Island Eastern Corridor		 Central–Wan Chai Bypass Succeeded by
Connaught Road West