Gov’t reveals plans for LRT section facing Kun Iam Statue

Gov’t reveals plans for LRT section facing Kun Iam Statue

Government officials disclosed two designs for the Avenida Dr Sun Yat-Sen section of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT), which will pass by the Kun Iam Statue.
Apart from lowering the 100 meters (approximately) of LRT track that will run in front of the Statue to ground level, the authorities also seek to improve the surrounding environment by building a hanging corridor or an underground tunnel to connect the seaside with the Dr Carlos d’Assumpção Park.
The team that created these plans includes officials from various public departments; the designer of the Kun Iam Statue, Cristina Rocha Leiria; and Francisco Caldeira Cabral, designer of the Dr Carlos d’Assumpção Park.
The team considered a number of issues when coming up with the designs. They wished to mitigate the effect that the LRT track will have on the view, and prevent it from blocking pedestrians from walking towards the seaside.
Moreover, the team members want to take this chance to increase the facilities near the statue and to connect different sections of the Park with the seaside. The designers also want to include the lotus into the design concept and hope that the LRT can be more effectively integrated into the statue’s surroundings.
The first design details a sloped hanging corridor as wide as the Park, which would connect the Park with the area in front of the sculpture.
The base of the corridor would sit five and a half meters above Avenida Dr Sun Yat-Sen, where both traffic and the LRT track would pass underneath it.
It is estimated that the corridor would add approximately 3,000 square meters of green areas to the region.
The second plan would involve digging an underground tunnel under Avenida Dr Sun Yat-Sen so that pedestrians could walk from the Park to the Statue without crossing any roads.
The section of the LRT track passing in front of the Statue would also be lowered to ground level. A transparent glass fence would be installed so that the view from the Park is not obscured.
Most believe that the second plan would cause fewer changes to the view.
Nevertheless, Cristina Rocha Leiria said yesterday that she is more inclined towards the first design, as it will create a more open space. The second design, she said, is only an alternative for people to consider, but she believes that both designs could achieve a “win-win” result.
The deputy director of the Transportation Infrastructure Office (GIT), André Ritchie, also noted that construction difficulties inherent in the second design would be higher because of the need to dig a tunnel. “After all, underground constructions will have a greater impact,” he said.
The head of the Urban Planning Department, Lao Iong, added that there are issues, such as the underground cable and pipelines, that must be considered if the second design is adopted.
Furthermore, a Transport Bureau official pointed out that if an underground tunnel were to be constructed at that location, it would have to occupy some of the Dr Carlos d’Assumpção Park’s underground parking lot. The number of parking spots in the area would consequently be reduced.
Regardless of which plan is ultimately adopted, the authorities will seek to renovate the area in front of the statue so that more green areas and leisure facilities can be added. They will also construct pedestrian overpasses to connect the different sections of the park, which are currently separated by several roads.
Lao Iong said that after the renovation is finished, residents will be able to walk from the Orient Arch to the Statue without crossing a road.
The designs will be handed to the Urban Planning Committee today. The authorities will also release information pertaining to the designs for the public’s consideration.
Officials have suggested that the designs are still in their preliminary stage and can be further refined. They hope that the public will provide further opinions regarding the route of the LRT’s Macau section.
GIT has also revealed its aim to begin the public tendering process for the LRT section on the Avenida Dr Sun Yat-Sen as soon as the end of this year or early next year.