A joint venture of UK-headquartered consulting engineers Arup and Mott MacDonald has announced that the 4.7km-long Yau Ma Tei section of Hong Kong’s Central Kowloon Bypass has opened to traffic.
The dual three-lane bypass connects the Yau Ma Tei Interchange in west Kowloon with the Kai Tak Development Area and Kowloon Bay in the east.
With complex interchanges at each end, the route includes a 3.9km tunnel under the most densely built up areas.
The connection aims to reduce congestion and travel time between Yau Ma Tei and Kowloon Bay from 30 minutes during rush hour to five minutes.
A 32,000-sq-m landscaped deck has been added as an expansion to West Kowloon Station connecting to Yau Ma Tei.
The team were able to tunnel beneath existing buildings while maintaining live traffic in one of Hong Kong’s busiest districts by using advanced digital tools to manage risks.
The Hong Kong Green Building Council has issued the project the platinum rating of the “BEAM Plus New Buildings Version 2.0”.
Theresa Yeung, Arup’s east Asia managing principal, said: “We are not just opening a transport corridor, we are unlocking a new era of connectivity and vitality for Kowloon.
“By delivering this complex and innovative project, we are actively shaping a smarter, greener, and more efficient Hong Kong.”
Hyvan Wong, Mott MacDonald’s managing director for China and Hong Kong, said: “Working alongside Arup and the Highways Department, we’re proud to have supported the delivery of engineering solutions for this complex urban environment.”
- Subscribe here to get stories about construction around the world in your inbox three times a week
