The design of a billion-dollar trunk road project is unlikely to undergo major cost-cutting changes, a Hong Kong official has said, as authorities plan to resubmit a more detailed proposal to the Legislative Council.
Director of Civil Engineering and Development Department Michael Fong Hok-shing gave the public updates on the project progress on Wednesday, saying authorities had been looking into different options for Trunk Road T4 whose main goal was to connect Ma On Shan to Tsing Sha Highway and Shing Mun Tunnel Road.
“Recently we have been considering different options, whether we could take out some enhancement facilities or improvement works to lower the cost,” Fong told a radio programme. “At the moment we are still thoroughly looking into the possibility, but initially speaking, there isn’t much chance for major changes.”
Last month, authorities withdrew a HK$7.16 billion (US$915 million) funding request for the proposed trunk road in Sha Tin a day before it was to be discussed in the legislature, citing a need to provide lawmakers with more information.
Legislators raised concerns over the significant rise in costs, which were more than six times the original HK$1.1 billion made for 2006, the project’s initial starting year.
Fong said that multiple factors contributed to the increase in costs, including price inflation over the past decades and changes in the original designs of the routes.
Under the latest proposal revealed by authorities, the project involves the construction of two dual-lane trunk roads that span 2.3km (1.4 miles), widening existing roads and building elevated foot and cycling paths.
Fong said authorities were aiming to polish the proposal document before resubmitting it to Legco for discussion on funding approval soon.
He added the government would collect more opinions from the public and lawmakers to see what was needed to be further explained about the project.
Hong Kong authorities withdraw funding proposal for trunk road at last moment
Hong Kong authorities withdraw funding proposal for trunk road at last moment
Fong said that if the legislature approved the plan, the project could start immediately and be completed in six years.
Speaking on the same radio programme, Sha Tin district councillor Chan Tan-tan said he agreed that the proposed trunk road was necessary due to a rise in population in Ma On Shan but voiced concerns over the increasing costs.
“The increase in cost was shocking. As the government is recording a deficit, our money needs to be used properly,” Chan said.
He urged authorities to disclose more details on the project expenses in the “enriched” document.
As the government was also planning to build the Sha Tin Bypass connecting Tai Po and Kowloon West, Chan said the proposed T4 trunk road would be equally important and that both projects should be utilised together given the growing traffic in the area.
