Right track: Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng (centre) and Director of Highways Wai Chi-sing (third left) launch the Tolo Highway widening project.

Director of Highways Wai Chi-sing today launched widening works for the 2.4km section of Tolo Highway between Island House Interchange and Ma Wo.

He said the highway can no longer cope with development in the northeast New Territories and increasing cross-boundary transportation, and must be widened and upgraded to enhance road safety.

The works include widening it from a dual three-lane to a dual four-lane road, demolishing and rebuilding two bridges, modifying three bridges, building three new bridges and noise barriers, and environmental mitigation measures, plus drainage, slope and landscaping works.

The Highways Department will keep the number of traffic lanes unchanged during the busy hours of the construction period to minimise the effect on normal traffic. Works are due for completion in 2013 and will create more than 1,200 jobs.