For discussion PWSC(96-97)16
on 12 June 1996

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 707 - NEW TOWNS AND URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT
New Territories East Development
(Transport - Roads)
327TH - Improvements to Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road at junctions with Hang Hau Road and Clear Water Bay Road

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 327TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $158 million in money-of-the-day prices.

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PROBLEM
PROPOSAL
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
JUSTIFICATION
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
LAND ACQUISITION
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
327TH - Improvements to Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road at junction with Hang Hau Road and Clear Water Bay Road

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PROBLEM

Most sections of the existing Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road do not meet the current design standards for highways.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Territory Development, with the support of the Secretary for Transport, proposes to upgrade 327TH to Category A at an estimated cost of $158 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices for improvement works to Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road at their junctions with Hang Hau Road and Clear Water Bay Road.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The scope of 327TH comprises -

1. conversion of the three existing junctions of Clear Water Bay Road with Hang Hau Road, Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road into a new roundabout;
2. realignment of about 650 metres of Ying Yip Road;
3. realignment of about 250 metres of Silverstrand Beach Road;
4. construction of associated footpaths, drainage, retaining structures, slope treatment works and landscape works; and
5. provision of noise mitigation measures (noise barriers, window insulation and air-conditioning).

JUSTIFICATION

4. Most sections of the existing two-lane single carriageways of Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road are substandard in terms of width and have steep gradients and sharp bends. We need to upgrade these sections of road to comply with the current standards for two-lane single carriageways.

5. Traffic congestion occurs at the three existing road junctions of Clear Water Bay Road with Hang Hau Road, Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road which are close to each other. We propose to replace these three road junctions with a roundabout to avoid traffic congestion at peak hours.

6. The proposed roadworks will enhance the transport links between Tseung Kwan O New Town and the Clear Water Bay peninsula and eastern Sai Kung district.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $158 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 8 below), made up as follows -

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

9. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government's forecasts of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1996 to 2000. We will tender the proposed works under a standard re-measurement contract because the quantities of extensive earthworks involved are subject to variation depending on actual ground conditions. We will provide for adjustment due to inflation in the contract because the construction period will last longer than 21 months.

10. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure of the proposed works to be $302,000.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

11. We consulted the Traffic and Transport Committee and Environmental Improvement Committee of the Sai Kung District Board on the proposed works in April 1994 and August 1995 respectively. Both Committees supported the proposal. We gazetted the proposed works under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance on 7 October 1994 and received two objections on grounds of traffic noise impact and encroachment of the proposed works on private properties. After we had amended the road alignment to minimise land resumption and made provision for adequate noise mitigation measures, the objectors withdrew their objections. We re-gazetted the amended proposal on 29 December 1995 and received no further objections.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

12. We completed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed works in 1995 and identified traffic noise as the only major concern. The EIA shows that by 2011, a total of eight nearby existing dwellings will be exposed to noise levels exceeding the standards stipulated in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines if we do not provide any mitigation measures to these dwellings.

13. To mitigate the noise impact, we will provide noise barriers along some sections of the upgraded roads facing the affected dwellings indirect technical remedies in the form of window insulation and air-conditioners to six of the affected dwellings. In accordance with the established eligibility criteria¹ , we will also provide indirect technical remedies in the form of window insulation and air-conditioners to six of the affected dwellings. We have included the total estimated cost of $1.6 million for these noise mitigation measures in the overall project estimate.

14. The Advisory Council on the Environment endorsed the EIA report on 8 February 1996 and the Governor in Council approved the indirect technical remedies on 23 April 1996.

15. For short term impacts during construction, we will control noise, dust and site run-off through implementation of mitigation measures in the works contract.

LAND ACQUISITION

16. We will resume about 93 square metres of private land. The proposed land acquisition will not affect any households and no rehousing is not necessary. We will charge the cost of land acquisition estimated at $0.3 million to Head 701 - Land Acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

17. We included 327TH in Category B in December 1990.

18. We have engaged consultants to undertake the investigations and design for the proposed works and charged the cost of $4.3 million to the block allocation Subhead 7008CX² "Consultants' fees and charges and major in-house investigations for new towns and urban area development projects." The consultants have substantially completed the detailed design and drawings.

19. The proposed works are scheduled to start in November 1996 for completion in March 1999.

(JJ99)

1 -- For the purpose of determining the eligibility of the affected premises for indirect technical remedies, we use the following three criteria approved by the Governor in Council : -

1. the predicted overall noise level from the new road together with other traffic noise in the vicinity must be above 70dB(A) L10(1hour);
2. the predicted overall noise level is at least 1.0dB(A) more than the prevailing traffic noise level, i.e. the total traffic noise level existing before the works to construct the road were commenced; and
3. the contribution to the increase in the overall noise level from the new road must be at least 1.0dB(A).

2 -- The former block allocation Subhead 7008CX was replaced by a new block allocation Subhead 7100CX "New towns and urban area works, studies and investigations for items selected in Category D of the Public Works Programme". The new block allocation was approved by Finance Committee on 8 March 1996.

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Enclosure to PWSC(96-97)16

327TH - Improvements to Ying Yip Road and Silverstrand Beach Road at junction with Hang Hau Road and Clear Water Bay Road

Breakdown of estimates for consultants' fees for construction stage

*MPS = Master Pay Scale

Notes

1. A multiplier factor of 3 is applied to the average MPS point to arrive at the full staff costs including the consultants' overheads and profit, as the staff will be employed in the consultants' offices. (At 1.4.95, MPS pt. 40 = $51,440 p.m. and MPS pt. 16 = $17,270 p.m.)
2. The figures given above are based on estimates prepared by the Director of Territory Development. We will only know the actual man months and fees when we have appointed the consultants through the normal competitive system.

(JJ99)

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