The Highways Department (HyD) today (March 21) said that a section of the westbound traffic lane at Yiu Hing Road near Yiu Tung Estate in Shau Kei Wan will be reopened at about 5.30am on March 23 (Saturday) after rehabilitation and a bus trial run.
During the torrential rain on September 8, 2023, a severe landslide occurred on a natural slope about 60 to 100 metres above Yiu Hing Road, during which a large amount of boulders mixed with silt were washed down to the surface of the slope below and Yiu Hing Road, resulting in the need for temporary full closure of the section of the carriageway fronting Yiu Ming House of Yiu Tung Estate. The HyD immediately arranged for the contractor to enclose the affected road section to prevent the public from entering the cordoned area, and then collaborated with the Geotechnical Engineering Office to formulate a work plan for the emergency repair works for the natural slope. With a considerable amount of boulders and silt accumulated on the slope, the related emergency works were of high complexity and risk, requiring it to be carried out in phases to ensure the safety of the works personnel. Upon completion of the clearance of the boulders and silt from the road and installation of protective facilities in December last year, the HyD immediately commenced the slope repair works, including removal of boulders on the slope by a large crane, stabilising the slope surface with shotcrete, and further reinforcing the rock surfaces on the higher locations of the slope using dowel bars and shotcrete.
The HyD has completed the above works and reinstated the road surface, and will reopen a westbound lane of Yiu Hing Road to one-way traffic on March 23. The six franchised bus routes (including Citybus Routes 77, 82S, 99, N8 and Cross Harbour Routes 110 and 606) and one green minibus (GMB) route (GMB Route 65) plying the road section concerned in the westbound direction will all resume their original services. The bus stops near Shaukeiwan Plaza, Tung Shing Court and Yiu Tung Shopping Centre will be reopened, while the bus stop opposite Yiu Ming House will continue to be suspended. The six franchised bus routes (including Citybus Routes 77, 99, 720X, N8 and Cross Harbour Routes 110 and 606) and two GMB routes (GMB Routes 50 and 65) plying Yiu Hing Road eastbound will continue to operate via the diverted routing for providing services to the residents of Yiu Tung Estate.
The HyD will continue to carry out the remaining slope repair works, including installation of metal protection nets on the shotcrete surface in the middle portion of the slope, and construction of concrete buttresses and using rock dowels to consolidate the giant arc stone on the slope. Meanwhile, the Drainage Services Department and the Water Supplies Department will also seek to complete the repair works of all damaged underground public utilities as soon as possible. The HyD has placed containers at appropriate locations on the road as temporary barriers to safeguard the safety of road users. Upon completion of all rehabilitation works, the HyD will conduct the remaining road reinstatement works with a view to fully reopening the carriageway and footpaths of Yiu Hing Road by the end of June this year.
Since the rehabilitation works are still underway, to safeguard the safety of road users, the relevant section of Yiu Hing Road needs to be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic when specified inclement weather warning signals (including a Localised Heavy Rain Advisory for the Eastern District, Hong Kong; Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signals; Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above, or a Landslip Warning) are in force. Appropriate traffic signs will be erected on-site to guide motorists. During the road closure, franchised bus and GMB services plying Yiu Hing Road westbound will be temporarily diverted to route via Yiu Hing Road Bus Terminus for maintaining services for the residents of Yiu Tung Estate. Members of the public are advised to pay attention to the latest information released by the Hong Kong Observatory as well as the latest traffic news distributed via radio, television and "HKeMobility" mobile application.
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