At today's (April 22) Legislative Council meeting, a member of Council raised a question concerning tunnel road safety. The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, said that the Highways Department plans to continue resurfacing suitable sections of the Western Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Harbour Tunnel, Lion Rock Tunnel and Airport Tunnel this year.
Chan pointed out that the Highways Department conducts routine inspections either daily or weekly depending on traffic flow and speed limits on tunnel connecting sections, along with detailed inspections every six months. Comprehensive tunnel inspections are carried out every two years; for older tunnels including the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Aberdeen Tunnel, Kai Tak Tunnel and Lion Rock Tunnel, these are intensified to once every six months to one year. Comprehensive inspections mainly involve close-up observations to thoroughly examine the condition of the tunnel's structure and auxiliary components.
Responding to concerns that some tunnel road surfaces deteriorate again shortly after repairs, Chan said that since April last year, the Highways Department has fully adopted "High Modulus Asphalt Mastic Macadam Mixture" for road paving. This material outperforms traditional asphalt in terms of deformation resistance, ageing resistance and fatigue resistance. Going forward, the Highways Department will apply this material to suitable asphalt road surfaces based on actual environmental conditions and needs, in order to continuously improve the quality of tunnel road surfaces and reduce maintenance frequency, thereby creating a better driving environment for motorists.
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