Chun Wo joint venture wins US$ 514 million Hong Kong bypass contract

Hong Kong-listed contractor Chun Wo is the leader of a joint venture partnership that has won a contract worth HK$ 4 billion (US$ 514 million) for work on the Hong Kong bypass.

The Chun Wo-CRGL-MBEC Joint Venture, which also includes China Railway Group and China Major Bridge Engineering, was awarded the contract by the Hong Kong administration for the construction of a tunnel under the city.

Work is set to begin this month on the North Point section of the Central/Wan Chai bypass tunnel and Island Eastern corridor link - projects which are planned to ease congestion over ground and create a continuous expressway along the new Central and Wan Chai reclamation on the north shore of Hong Kong Island.

Scheduled for completion in 2017, the contract involves the construction of a 300 m section of tunnel for the bypass and an approach road. Road works and demolition are also included in the contract agreement.

The Central /Wan Chai bypass and Eastern Corridor link consist of a planned 4.5 km, three-lane road with a 3.7km-long tunnel linking the Rumsey Street Flyover and Island Eastern Corridor.

This new highway, running along the northern part of Hong Kong Island, is planned to divert traffic from the Eastern Corridor to the tunnel and will improve the use of reclaimed land in the coast area of North Point.

In May 2009, the Central /Wan Chai bypass project was approved by the Hong Kong authorities and submitted to legislative council development for funds. The project is estimated to cost a total of around US$ 3 billion.