Should government cancel Hiram’s Highway Improvement Stage 2?

From Chris Hanselman

12 June 2025 Editor LETTER TO THE EDITOR 0

To the Editor: Sai Kung Buzz, you Sai Kungers and our Councillor,

I would just like to raise, to readers, the proposed next stage of the Hirams Highway development. This is Stage 2 of the development and is aimed ‘to improve the section of Hiram’s Highway, Po Tung Road and Tai Mong Tsai Road from Marina Cove to the south of Sha Ha’.*

Supposedly, the proposed improvement works will relieve the existing traffic congestion and cope with the anticipated traffic growth, as well as to enhance the resilience of the concerned roads to cope with unforeseen situations.

Details are here Highways Department – Hiram’s Highway Improvement Stage 2

The scope of the work is to widen the section of Hiram’s Highway from Marina Cove to Sai Kung Town and Po Tung Road, approximately 4 kilometres in length and improve a section of Po Tung Road and Tai Mong Tsai Road of approximately 600 metres in length between Fuk Man Road and Wai Man Road.

The work was to start in December 2024. I don’t think it has commenced yet. And then after 8 years, in 2032, it should be complete. ‘Should be’ are the operative words, whilst I can only imagine the next 8 years being chaotic.

The cost of this is HK$2.19 billion. For 2025, the HK government is running an annual deficit of 87.2 billion.

I would like to suggest that this project be put on hold until we get the economy, as a whole, back on track. Spending this much money on a road development, which at this moment is not needed, is strategically not wise. Surely these funds would be best spent revitalising the Hong Kong economy as a whole. An 8 year, HK$2.19 billion project is not going to help Sai Kung businesses.

Would love to know what other people think about this.

Chris Hanselman

*BUZZ has published a number stories on this development over the past year:

https://hongkongbuzz.hk/2024/12/hyd-signs-works-contract-for-hirams-highway-improvement-stage-2-dualling-of-hirams-highway-from-marina-cove-to-sai-kung-town

https://hongkongbuzz.hk/2024/11/legco-finance-committee-approves-application-for-expansion-of-hirams-highway-stage-2-project-involving-nearly-2-75-billion

https://hongkongbuzz.hk/2024/10/cost-of-hirams-highway-stage-2-widening-reduced-by-460-million-and-the-construction-period-shortened-from-eight-years-to-six-years