Expert fears new finishing date for already delayed project could be 'a bit tight' and may bust budget
ALLEN AU-YEUNGallen.auyeung@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Friday, 27 November, 2015, 12:03am
UPDATED : Friday, 27 November, 2015, 12:03am
Hong Kong Project Management Exchange Centre chairman Yim Kin-ping, Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union's Chow Ping-wai and Hong Kong Construction industry Employees General Union chairman Chow Luen-kiu attend a press conference to discuss the bridge in 2014. Photo: Jonathan Wong
The government's new target to finish Hong Kong's portion of the 42km Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge by the end of 2017 might be too optimistic, according to an engineering expert.
Another year might be needed to finish the job, said Yim Kin-ping, former chairman of the civil division of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.
But even with the new completion date, the public might have to wait for at least two more years before they can use the bridge to cross into the Pearl River Delta because of construction delays on mainland China that would be beyond the control of the Hong Kong government.
In March, Li Chunhong, director of Guangdong's Development and Reform Commission, said the bridge might not open until 2020 due to the technical difficulties of building the underwater tunnel that forms part of the bridge.
"[The new deadline] seems a bit tight," said Yim, a geotechnical engineer, who previously worked for the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and the government. "The weather is an unpredictable factor. Typhoons and rains will delay the project. If there are not enough barges, construction on the sea could be slowed down."
When asked what would happen if Guangdong could not finish its portion of the bridge at the same time as Hong Kong, Yim said: "That means [Hong Kong's section of the bridge] would be sitting under the sun."
On Wednesday night, the Highways Department confirmed that Hong Kong's boundary crossing facilities and associated link roads would miss its 2016 deadline.
The department pushed back their completion date to the end of 2017, blaming the delay on factors like unstable material supplies, labour shortages, environmental protection requirements and slow progress in reclaiming land.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge under construction as seen from Lantau Island. Photo: Felix Wong
Yau Shing-mu, undersecretary for transport and housing, said the government had reached the new completion date based on an assessment done this year.
Next Tuesday the government will have to seek the Legislative Council's approval for an extra HK$5.46 billion to build structures on an artificial island off Hong Kong International Airport, on top of the HK$30.4 billion it had already secured.
The 150-hectare island will house the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities that clears passengers and cargo.
According to the Highways Department, the city is expected to pay more than HK$117 billion for the entire bridge project.
About 40 per cent of that - or HK$46 billion - will go towards construction of the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link, an alternative land route to the airport.
Seven Hong Kong workers have died in accidents since work began on the bridge in 2009.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1884012/engineer-casts-doubt-new-target-finish-hong-kong-macau-zhuhai-bridge
