The Transport Bureau (DSAT) has reassured a lawmaker that three links that are still being built and will lead to the New Urban Zone A will help to ease the current congestion near Pearl of the Orient.
The comment was made in response to lawmaker Ron Lam’s inquiry dated February 17.
Currently, Zone A only has a link with the main Peninsula, for which both the entrance and exit are located at the Pearl of the Orient Roundabout.
As the zone is a mid-point to and from the border checkpoint to Hong Kong and Zhuhai, traffic usually becomes heavy during peak hours and holiday seasons.
Citing the Public Works Bureau (DSOP), the DSAT acting director, Lei Veng Hong, guaranteed that Bridge A2, which will connect the zone with the north of the Main Reservoir, is having foundations laid.
Meanwhile, Bridge A3, which will connect the zone with the south of the Main Reservoir, as well as Bridge AB, which will connect the zone with the south of the Peninsula, are “seeing their design phase commence,” the transport official added.
In addition, Lei pledged that the fourth Macau-Taipa bridge, which is expected to open in 2024, will help divert traffic to and from Zone A and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.
Lei reiterated that no Light Rapid Transit station will be built serving the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, backing up his superintendent, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works.
However, an additional footbridge will be built to connect the border checkpoint with Zone A “to realize high accessibility and convenient transfer.”
On social media platforms, members of the public have criticized the DSAT for failing to take what they see as the past three years of standstill as an opportunity to refine the road network on and near Zone A, including but not limited to building more roads entering and exiting the zone. AL
