Hong Kong’s leader has announced that the Yau Ma Tei section of the 4.7km Central Kowloon Bypass will open on December 21, cutting commute time between West Kowloon and Kai Tak from 30 minutes to just five.
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The 3.9km tunnel section is part of a larger route that connects Kowloon East in Tseung Kwan O with Kowloon West in Yau Ma Tei, significantly reducing travelling time from 65 minutes to 12 during peak hours.
“On December 21, the Yau Ma Tei section of our new Central Kowloon Bypass will open. It’s … designed to bypass congested transport corridors and reduce peak hour journey time,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said at the 35th International Railway Safety Council Annual Conference on Wednesday.
Currently, motorists from Yau Ma Tei need to drive through urban areas such as Ho Man Tin and To Kwa Wan to reach Kai Tak, where the city’s new stadium and new commercial districts are located.
Authorities have earlier proposed an HK$8 (US$1.02) toll for using the tunnel.
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Road tests for buses on the Yau Ma Tei section of the Central Kowloon Bypass started in September, with trials for other forms of public transport set to gradually begin ahead of its expected opening by the end of the year.