Airport Core Programme

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The Hong Kong International Airport is the centrepiece of this massive project; it provided the foundation for the other nine core projects of the Airport Core Programme.

Chek Lap Kok was selected as an optimal site due to its development potential. Construction finally started in 1992 and was planned to finish in mid-1997. Chris Patten, the last Governor of Hong Kong, expressed his hope of leaving Hong Kong via the new airport after the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong, though this did not materialise. The airport finally came into operation on 6 July 1998, at a cost of around US$20 billion. [4] [ unreliable source? ]

Airport Railway

The Airport Railway was built to connect Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island (over the Western Immersed Tube) [5] [6] [7] to the airport and the planned new town of northern Lantau. The railway is operated by the MTR Corporation and has two routes: the Airport Express and the Tung Chung line which provides a commuter service linking the new town of Tung Chung to the city. These two lines share the same double-tracks for most of their routes, however, the railway was initially planned to have four tracks along its length. The commuter service offered by the Tung Chung line also provided relief to the overcrowded Tsuen Wan line of the MTR.

Comprising Kap Shui Mun Bridge, Tsing Ma Bridge and Ma Wan Viaduct, the Lantau Link connects Lantau with Tsing Yi, via Ma Wan. It carries both road and railway traffic between the islands.

Western Harbour Crossing

This is the third cross-harbour tunnel for Victoria Harbour. Built under a build-operate-transfer agreement with the Western Harbour Tunnel Company, the tunnel was intended to relieve congestion at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and is part of expressway Route 3. [8]

North Lantau Expressway

With the highest posted speed limit in Hong Kong, at 110 km/h (68 mph) on most of its length, this six-lane motorway links Tung Chung in the west to the Lantau Link in the east, via the north coast of Lantau. A service road, Cheung Tung Road  [ zh ], runs parallel to it between Tung Chung and Yam O.

Route 3 – Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Sections

Route 3 is one of the 10 strategic expressway routes of Hong Kong, linking Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island and Yuen Long in the New Territories. The Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi sections were built to link the Lantau Link and West Kowloon Expressway.

The Kwai Chung section is 3 km (1.9 mi) in length. The route connects with the West Kowloon Highway near Lai Chi Kok, then bypasses the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, finally connecting with the Cheung Tsing Bridge of the Tsing Yi section. It is an 8-lane elevated motorway. This section is now known as Tsing Kwai Highway.

The Tsing Yi section comprises the 500-metre (550 yd) long Cheung Tsing Bridge, which crosses over Rambler Channel, and the 1.6 km (0.99 mi) Cheung Tsing Tunnel, which cuts through the high ground on Tsing Yi Island. This section is now known as the Cheung Tsing Highway.

West Kowloon Highway

This is a six-lane motorway 4.2 km (2.6 mi) in length with the northern 2 km (1.2 mi) elevated for the Airport Railway running underneath. It links the Kowloon portal of the Western Harbour Crossing in the south to the Tsing Kwai Highway in the north and is built entirely on newly reclaimed land in West Kowloon.

Land Reclamation in West Kowloon

Reclamation work was needed along the west coast of Kowloon Peninsula to provide land for the expressway, Route 3, as well as supporting infrastructure. The Airport Railway also runs through the reclaimed land of West Kowloon. The reclamation work has increased the area of Kowloon Peninsula by 30%.

Central Reclamation Phase I

This phase required the reclamation of an area of 20 hectares (49 acres) along the waterfront of Central to provide land for the Airport Railway's Hong Kong station. Two ferry piers serving outlying islands as well as a government dockyard had to be relocated to facilitate the work.

Phase I of North Lantau New Town

The first phase of the new town in Northern Lantau is centred on Tung Chung and was planned to provide housing to 18,000 people. The new town was meant to be a supporting community for the new Hong Kong International Airport, as well as to act as a "gateway" to Hong Kong for visitors. At present, phases I, II and IIIA of the new town have been completed, all around Tung Chung. When all 4 phases are completed, the new town will be home to 320,000 people, covering an area of 830 hectares (2,100 acres) between Tung Chung and the neighbouring area of Tai Ho.

Exhibition Centre

The Airport Core Programme Exhibition Centre introducing the programme is located in Ting Kau near Sham Tseng in Hong Kong.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwai Tsing District</span> District in Hong Kong, China

Kwai Tsing is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It consists of two parts - Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island. Kwai Tsing is part of the New Territories. It had a population of 520,572 in 2016. The district has the third least educated residents and their income is below average.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islands District</span> District in Hong Kong, China

The Islands District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is part of the New Territories. It had a population of 185,282 in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsing Yi</span> Island in Hong Kong

Tsing Yi, sometimes referred to as Tsing Yi Island, is an island in the urban area of Hong Kong, to the northwest of Hong Kong Island and south of Tsuen Wan. With an area of 10.69 km2 (4.13 sq mi), the island has extended drastically by reclamation along almost all its natural shore and the annexation of Nga Ying Chau (牙鷹洲) and Chau Tsai. Three major bays or harbours, Tsing Yi Lagoon, Mun Tsai Tong and Tsing Yi Bay (青衣灣) in the northeast, have been completely reclaimed for new towns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tung Chung</span> New town in Hong Kong

Tung Chung, meaning "eastern stream", is an area on the northwestern coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. One of the most recent new towns, it was formerly a rural fishing village beside Tung Chung Bay, and along the delta and lower courses of Tung Chung River and Ma Wan Chung in the north-western coast of Lantau Island. The area was once an important defence stronghold against pirates and foreign military during the Ming and the Qing dynasties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tung Chung line</span> Hong Kong MTR railway line

The Tung Chung line is one of the ten lines of the MTR system in Hong Kong, linking the town of Tung Chung with central Hong Kong. A part of the Tung Chung line was built along with the Kap Shui Mun Bridge and the Tsing Ma Bridge. The line currently travels through eight stations in 31 minutes along its route. The line is coloured orange on the map.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lantau Link</span> Road linking western and central Hong Kong

The Lantau Link, formerly known as the Lantau Fixed Crossing, is a roadway in Hong Kong forming part of Route 8 linking Lantau Island to Tsing Yi, from which other roads lead to the urban areas of Kowloon and the rest of the New Territories. Part of the Airport Core Programme centred on the new Hong Kong International Airport on Lantau, the link was officially opened on 27 April 1997, and it opened to traffic on 22 May the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport Express (MTR)</span> Hong Kong MTR railway line

The Airport Express is one of the ten lines of the Hong Kong MTR system. It links the urban area with the Hong Kong International Airport and the AsiaWorld–Expo exhibition and convention centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Route 8 (Hong Kong)</span> Road in Hong Kong

Route 8 of Hong Kong is a dual 3-lane carriageway motorway that links Lantau Island, Tsing Yi Island, Cheung Sha Wan in West Kowloon, and Sha Tin in the southeast New Territories of Hong Kong. It is a combination of many sections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Kowloon Highway</span> Expressway in Kowloon, Hong Kong

West Kowloon Highway is a section of Route 3 in Hong Kong, built as part of the Airport Core Programme. This dual-three-lane expressway runs for 4.2 km (2.6 mi), connecting Western Harbour Crossing in the south with Tsing Kwai Highway in the north. While the southern section of the road is at grade, the northern part is on a viaduct in order to accommodate the MTR Tung Chung line and the Airport Express.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Route 3 (Hong Kong)</span> Road in Hong Kong

Route 3 is a series of expressways in Hong Kong that runs from Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island to Yuen Long in the New Territories, linking West Kowloon, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi. It was built as part of the Airport Core Programme to provide access to Hong Kong International Airport from the city, and to relieve congestion in the New Territories. The Western Harbour Crossing and Tai Lam Tunnel that form part of the route are tollways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheung Tsing Highway</span>

Cheung Tsing Highway is a highway of Route 3 between Cheung Tsing Tunnel and North West Tsing Yi Interchange on Tsing Yi Island, New Territories, Hong Kong. It was built as part of the Airport Core Programme together with the rest of Route 3 to provide a new highway link from North Western New Territories towards Hong Kong Island, and connects with Route 8 to provide access to the new Hong Kong International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwai Chung Road</span>

Kwai Chung Road is a throughway in Kwai Chung of the New Territories in Hong Kong. It is one of the busiest roads in Hong Kong. The Transport Department has classified it as a trunk road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Lantau Highway</span> Expressway in western Hong Kong

North Lantau Highway is an expressway forming part of Hong Kong's Route 8, linking Hong Kong International Airport and Lantau Island with the rest of the territory. The road has three lanes in each direction for its entire length with full-width hard shoulders for emergencies and breakdowns. The speed limit is 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) for most of its length, the highest of any road in Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Strategic Route and Exit Number System</span> Trunk road numbering system in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Strategic Route and Exit Number System is a system adopted by the Transport Department of the Hong Kong Government to organise the major roads in the territory into routes 1 to 10 for the convenience of drivers. When the system was implemented in 2004, the government promoted it with a major public campaign, including the slogan "Remember the Numbers; Make Driving Easier".

Articles related to Hong Kong include:

References

Airport Core Programme
Tsing Ma Bridge.jpg
Tsing Ma Bridge, part of the Airport Core Programme
  1. ↑ "Working Paper: Hong Kong: The Airport Core Programme and the Absence of Corruption". Transparency International. Archived from the original on 24 February 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 Sung Hin-lun (2003). A Hundred Years of Aviation in Hong Kong. Joint Publishing. ISBN   962-04-2188-4.
  3. ↑ "The New Airport and Aviation in Hong Kong: A New Perspective". Kai-sun Kwong. Archived from the original on 14 June 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
  4. ↑ "Hong Kong International Airport (HKG/VHHH)".
  5. ↑ Morris, Martin W., The Design of the Western Immersed Tube Tunnel, Hong Kong
  6. ↑ Thomas Telford Limited (1997), "Hong Kong Airport Railway Western Immersed Tube Tunnel - Planning", Immersed Tunnel Techniques 2. Proceedings of the International Conference Organized by the Institution of Civil Engineers in Association with the Institution of Engineers of Ireland and Held in Cork, Ireland, on 23-24 April 1997
  7. ↑ Enterkin, H.; Ichise, K.; Bayliss, R. F. (1997), "Immersed Tunnel Techniques 2", in Ford, Charles R. (ed.), Hong Kong Airport Railway Western Immersed Tube Tunnel, doi:10.1680/itt2.26049, ISBN   978-0-7277-2604-9
  8. ↑ "Western Harbour Tunnel - About - Introduction - WHC Project". www.westernharbourtunnel.com. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
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