Traffic, coastline among main Zone A concerns
Traffic planning and coastline arrangements on New Urban Zone A are among the main concerns of an urban planner and a lawmaker, local media has reported.
The government recently announced that the application to reclaim the waterway between Zone A and the main peninsula was not approved by Beijing. The original plan was to reclaim the waterway for use as a greening area, releasing some land plots for other uses.
However, the government emphasized that the LRT project will not be affected by the mainland’s decision not to approve the application, “because they are two different things,” Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário said.
In response to the current situation, urban planner Chan Chio I (as cited in local media outlet Macao Daily News) suggested the government develop another plan on the coastline of the mega reclamation to introduce more space for marine leisure activities and recalculate the transport support for Zone A without it being connected by land to the main peninsula.
On the other hand, she said four of the five footbridges planned for connecting Zone A to the main peninsula originally had points of access at the now-disapproved reclamation. She suggested the government reconsider these plans so as to lower future residents’ reliance on private vehicles.
She further suggested widening Avenida de Amizade to allow for more traffic between the Northern and the Outer Harbour districts, adding that having only four bridges connecting Zone A with the main peninsula would be insufficient.
The urban planner also suggested the government connect public residential estates with footbridges to lower reliance on motor vehicles between locations in Zone A, which is a connection point for the Macau Light Rapid Transit system and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.
The government should present its plans thoroughly to the public regarding the traffic arrangement at Zone A, she added.
Meanwhile, trade unionist lawmaker Ella Lei told the same media outlet that the government should expedite its preparation of the formation of Zone A, especially since traffic to and from the zone has reached bottlenecks for long periods.
The government has been criticized for its lack of preparation with regard to traffic through Zone A, which is a non-avoidable midpoint between the main peninsula and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. During peak times, long motor traffic queues trying to enter or leave the zone are common. The zone currently has only a single connection with the main peninsula.
Lei also wondered if four bridges connecting the main peninsula with the zone are enough, considering that in the future, students and staff commuting to and from school and work will cause congestion. She suggested the government build more footbridges so that people can move in and out of the zone on foot.
In addition, without the now-disapproved reclamation, it is uncertain whether the zone has enough greenery and leisure areas for future residents. Lei said there will be large volumes of people living on the land, but not enough leisure areas per capita.
