Problem

 

The new Crossings (EHT and WHT) were built to alleviate congestion around the gateway of CHT and lower the travel time cross the harbour. The question is, do the 3 Harbour Crossings being used effectively?

 

The answer is “No”. The undesirable distribution of traffic among the three Harbour Crossings has been a long standing problem in Hong Kong. The Cross Harbour Tunnel is the mostly utilized one with a daily throughput of around 120,000 vehicles that exceeding its design capacity of 78,000 per day. Although congestion also happened in the other two Harbour Crossings during peak hour, but the situation is less severe. The 08/14 Fixed Route Public Transport Passenger Journeys published by the Transport Department show the following statistics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The statistics shows clearly the unevenly distribution of traffic flow. In fact, queue is observed at both ends of the 3 Harbour Crossings during peak hour and such queue is inevitable during peak hour. The main point is the queue at both end of CHT is much longer.

 

Here shows approximately the observed queuing of the 3 tunnels during peak hour:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2: Queue at both ends of the Tunnels during Peak Hour

 

The red line represents the queue line and the arrows indicate the direction. Congestion happens near all the Harbour Crossings but red lines are more concentrate near CHT. Vehicles queue up in Gloucester Road eastbound near China Resources Building, Gloucester Road eastbound near City Garden Shopping Arcade and Canal Road near Happy Valley. The severe congestion affects not only the travel time to go across CHT but causes traffic jam outside WHC as shown.

 

The undesirable distribution of traffic cause problem not only during peak hour but non-peak hour. Normally, the use of the Harbour Crossings should at the highest rate at morning and afternoon. This is the case of WHC and EHC but not CHT. Daily Traffic Profile at CHT shows that the through of CHT remains approximately the same from 8am to 12pm. It means CHT is facing huge pressure in the whole day which the other two are not utilized effectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 3: Daily Traffic Profile at CHT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4: Daily Traffic Profile at EHC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5: Daily Traffic Profile at WHC

 

The figures above show the percentage of number of traffic using the Harbour Crossings at different time of day. From 00 to 04, traffic flow through the 3 Harbour Crossings goes down steadily and reaches the lowest point at around 06. During the peak hours of 07-09 and 17-19 when people go to work and get off to home, the traffic flow through the 3 Harbour Crossings goes up drastically and reaches the highest point. After the peak hours, the pressure on traffic system is lowered and it is logical to conclude traffic flow through the crossings should decrease which the CHT appears an abnormal phenomenon which the throughput keeps fluctuate at the level of peak hour.

 

Such phenomenon indicates a problem in the ongoing system. The study is aimed to improve the situation and evaluate the effect of the measure suggested.

 

Explanation

 

Background