Heung Yuen Wai Highway, which consists of Lung Shan Tunnel, Cheung Shan Tunnel, viaducts and 4 interchanges, opened to public on 26 May. Lung Shan Tunnel was the major part of Dragages’ project “Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point – Site Formation and Infrastructure Works – Contract 2”. The 4.8-km tunnel is currently the longest land-based road tunnel in Hong Kong.
 
The Highway provides a direct access between Fanling Highway and Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (under construction), reducing the travel time from Fanling Highway to Ping Che area and Heung Yuen Wai, Ta Kwu Ling from 15 and 24 minutes, to 4 and 8 minutes only.
 
Officiating at the Highway’s Opening Ceremony on 24 May, the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr. LAM Sai-hung said not only will the Highway alleviate the busy traffic conditions in the area around Sha Tau Kok Road and improve the traffic in North District; it can also greatly facilitate long-term economic and social development in the District.
 
The construction of Lung Shan Tunnel, 3 ventilation buildings and an administration building started in 2013. During the construction journey, the Dragages project team has overcome various constraints with different in-house innovations, which included the deployment of the largest dual-mode Earth Pressure Balanced Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) in Hong Kong, first-ever 180-degree TBM U-turn operation, MOBYDIC (TBM disc cutter monitoring system), TELEMACH (automated TBM disc cutter replacement) and ROBY 850 (semi-automatic drilling robot).
 
“I would like to congratulate the project team on their success on this project. They have exhibited dedication, teamwork and creativity, which were all fundamental to deliver such a complex project with high efficiency and safety standard.” said Wes JONES, Managing Director of Dragages Hong Kong during the Opening Ceremony. “They should all be proud of what they have achieved.”