Central-Wan Chai Bypass contract signed

March 14, 2013

The Highways Department today signed a $4.792 billion contract with China State Construction Engineering for the Central-Wan Chai Bypass Project.
 
Director of Highways Lau Ka-keung said it was the last contract for tunnel construction under the project.
 
"With the commissioning of the project, the travelling time between Central and the Island Eastern Corridor at North Point via the bypass will take only five minutes. It will relieve the traffic congestion along Connaught Road Central, Harcourt Road and Gloucester Road," Mr Lau said.
 
The department has made its best efforts to protect the harbour and minimise temporary reclamation in compliance with the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance, he added.
 
The contract involves the construction of a 300-metre-long section of twin box tunnel under the seabed of Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter and a 150m-long slip road tunnel beneath the existing Victoria Park Road and the northern part of Victoria Park.
 
The project is a 4.5-kilometre-long dual three-lane carriageway with a 3.7km-long tunnel connecting Central to the corridor at North Point via Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. Construction works for the project started in 2009 and will be completed in 2017.