Highways officials in Hong Kong have been given a green light to spend an extra US$12M on design fees for the controversial US$515M Central Kowloon Route, a dual three lane highway mostly in tunnel across Kowloon peninsula.
Approval for the extra spend takes the total cost of detailed design and site investigation work to almost US$25M. The highway will run from west Kowloon reclamation to the former airport at Kai Tak. Construction of the road is due to start in 2012 with completion in 2016.
The lawmakers’ decision allowed the Highways Department to invite consultants to express interest and tender for a contract to carry out the detailed design and construction supervision. The department hopes the consultancy work can start in August.
The extra cash came after legislators initially delayed funding for several months in a wrangle with the government over the preservation of several historic buildings along the highway alignment.
The funds were approved after highways officials pledged to widen the consultancy study to include options to save the buildings that include an 80-year old police station. Officials also agreed to seek the further legislative and public approval for the scheme once detailed designs have been completed but before construction starts.
The row over funding is the latest controversy to dog the highway, which has been delayed for years as the government mulls the future use of land near the tunnel. The planning delays have already led the concept plan for the tunnel to be changed.
Initially, the government was proposing to build a 3.9km long dual two-lane highway that would include a 2.6km long tunnel. The concept arrangement was recently revised to become a 4.7km dual three-lane road with 3.8km in tunnel, which resulted in the need for extra funding.
About 2.6km of the tunnel will be built by TBM under the Ho Man Tin and To Kwa Wan districts but the project also includes an immersed tube tunnel about 500m long under Kowloon Bay. Two further sections totalling about 700m in length will be in cut and cover.
