Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel

The TKO-LTT project involves the construction of an approximately 4.2km-long dual two-lane carriageway, primarily integrating a 2.2km road tunnel. Credit: Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD).

The JV of CIMIC Group’s Leighton Contractors (Asia) and China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) is the main contractor for the project. Credit: Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD).

The project will help meet the traffic demand from the anticipated increase in population in Tseung Kwan O district. Credit: Wing1990hk.

The Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel (TKO-LTT) project involves the construction of a 4.2km-long two-lane dual carriageway in Hong Kong, which will integrate a 2.2km-long tunnel.

The tunnel will connect TKO at Po Shun Road in the east with the proposed Trunk Road T2 within the Kai Tak Development (KTD) in the west.

Public engagement activities for the project were initiated in 2009. An environmental permit was granted by the director of environmental protection in August 2013, and detailed designed works were completed in late 2015. Construction works were initiated in July 2016 and are scheduled for completion in mid-2021.

The project is being developed by Hong Kong’s Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), which is investing approximately HK$15.09bn in the project.

The tunnel construction is expected to generate approximately 3,400 jobs.

Project background and purpose of the new tunnel

The new road tunnel project forms part of the larger Route 6 development plan, which incorporates the development of the Central Kowloon Route and Trunk Road T2. The larger project will create an east-west express link between West Kowloon and TKO and is expected to reduce the travel time between the two areas from 30 minutes to 12 minutes.

The TKO-LTT project is being developed to alleviate traffic congestion during peak hours at the existing Tseung Kwan O Tunnel and to meet the traffic demand from the anticipated population increase in the Tseung Kwan O district.

TKO-LTT construction details

At TKO, the project activities will primarily involve the construction of the tunnel and its associated portal facilities, a ventilation building, slip roads, branch tunnels, viaducts, the TKO interchange, and approximately 3ha of reclamation.

Works at the eastern side of the tunnel include the construction of slip roads, a depressed road, the Lam Tin Interchange at the Cha Kwo Ling quarry area, viaducts, ventilation and administration buildings and tunnel portal facilities.

Other ancillary works forming part of the project include the construction of associated buildings, integration of a traffic control and surveillance system (TCSS), landscaping, and environmental protection and mitigation works.

The tunnel is being constructed using either the mechanical method or the conventional drill and blast method, depending on geological conditions and site constraints.

Approximately 4.17 million cubic metres of inert materials and 83,000m³ of non-inert materials are expected to be generated during the construction phase. Of the inert materials, 814,600m³ will be reused for reclamation purposes, while 19,360m³ of sediment is expected to be generated and reused as filling material.

Key players involved

The main contractor for the project is the joint venture (JV) of CIMIC Group’s Leighton Contractors and China State Construction Engineering.

The JV of CRBC and Build King has been contracted to perform project activities, including reclamation, construction of the depressed carriageway, landscaping and ancillary works.

Aecom Asia, the project’s consulting engineer and construction supervisor, helped to prepare an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the tunnel.

Mannings (Asia) Consultants is also providing professional advisory services for the project.