For discussion PWSC(95-96)69
on 10 January 1996

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 706 - HIGHWAYS
Transport - Footbridges and pedestrian tunnels
98TB - Reconstruction of the footbridge across Kwun Tong Road at Tsun Yip Lane, Kwun Tong

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 98TB to Category A at an estimated cost of $38.1 million in money-of-the-day prices for the reconstruction of the footbridge across Kwun Tong Road at Tsun Yip Lane, Kwun Tong.

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PROBLEM
PROPOSAL
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
JUSTIFICATION
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
LAND ACQUISITION
BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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PROBLEM

The capacity of the existing footbridge across Kwun Tong Road at Tsun Yip Lane, Kwun Tong is inadequate to cope with the peak hour pedestrian flow.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Highways, with the support of the Secretary for Transport, proposes to upgrade 98TB to Category A at an estimated cost of $38.1 million in money-of-the-day prices for the reconstruction of the footbridge across Kwun Tong Road at Tsun Yip Lane, Kwun Tong.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The scope of the project comprises -

1. demolition of the existing footbridge across Kwun Tong Road including the staircases at both ends;
2. construction of a covered footbridge with an overall width of 5.4 metres across Kwun Tong Road with ramps and two-way escalators at both ends to replace the existing footbridge at the same location; and
3. associated footpath reconstruction, street lighting installation, drainage works, water main diversion and landscaping works.

JUSTIFICATION

4. With a capacity of only 4 500 pedestrians per hour, the existing footbridge with an internal width of 2.5 metres is too narrow to cope with the current pedestrian flow of about 5 200 pedestrians per hour in the peak periods. In order to cope with the increasing pedestrian flow, we propose to widen the internal width of the main span of the footbridge from 2.5 metres to 4.5 metres. The resultant capacity of 10 500 pedestrians per hour will be able to cope with the forecast pedestrian flow beyond 2005.

5. In addition to widening the footbridge, we propose to replace the existing staircases at both ends of the footbridge by escalators. This is because the usage rate of the footbridge has exceeded 15 400 persons per day which is the minimum pedestrian flow necessary to justify the provision of escalators.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

6. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $38.1 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 7 below), made up as follows -

7. Subject to approval, we will phase expenditure as follows -

8. We derive the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government’s forecasts of trend labour and construction prices over the period between 1996 and 2000. We will tender the works under a standard re-measurement contract because the contract will involve extensive underground foundation works. The contract also provides for adjustment to the tender price due to inflation because the contract period will be longer than 21 months.

9. We estimate that the annually recurrent expenditure to be $650,000.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

10. We consulted the Traffic and Transport Committee of the Kwun Tong District Board at its meeting on 14 March 1995. The Committee members had no objection to the proposed works.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

11. The Director of Environmental Protection completed an Environmental Review in November 1994 on the proposed footbridge works and concluded that there would be no long term operational impact from this project and no environmental impact assessment is necessary. We will implement measures to ensure that there will be no undue noise arising from the operation of the escalators upon adjacent sensitive uses, for example, residential buildings. For short term impact, we will control noise, dust and site run-off during construction through the implementation of mitigation measures in works contract.

LAND ACQUISITION

12. We will not require any land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

13. We upgraded the project to Category B in November 1993. The Secretary for Transport authorised the works under Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance on 8 September 1995. We have substantially completed the detailed design and drawings for the project using in-house staff resources, and scheduled the works to start in March 1996 for completion in March 1998.

14. During construction, we will provide a temporary at-grade signal crossing to the east of Hong Ning Road for pedestrian traffic across Kwun Tong Road.

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