Island Eastern Corridor

Island Eastern Corridor
Part of Route 4

IEC coloured red
Route information
History: 1984 (Phase I)
1985 (Phase II)
1989 (Phase III)
Major junctions
East end: Chai Wan
West end: Causeway Bay
Location
Districts: Eastern, Wan Chai
Highway system
Hong Kong Strategic Route and Exit Number System
Island Eastern Corridor

The west end of Island Eastern Corridor at Causeway Bay
Traditional Chinese 東區走廊
Simplified Chinese 东区走廊
Island Eastern Corridor along North Point and Fortress Hill
Island Eastern Corridor near Quarry Bay
Island Eastern Corridor near Tai Koo Shing
East end of Island Eastern Corridor at Chai Wan

Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) is an expressway along the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It starts from Causeway Bay in the west and ends in Chai Wan in the east. It is part of Route 4. The section between Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay consists mainly of viaducts built along Victoria Harbour.

History

After World War II, the Eastern District of Hong Kong Island developed rapidly. As a result, the major thoroughfare in the area, King's Road, became very congested.[1]

To relieve the congestion problem, the idea of constructing the corridor was brought out in 1968. However, commencement of construction did not begin until 8 April 1981, 20 May 1982 and 5 August 1986.[2] The corridor was opened in three phases: Causeway Bay to Tai Koo Shing on 8 June 1984; Tai Koo Shing to Shau Kei Wan on 26 July 1985; and Shau Kei Wan to Chai Wan on 12 October 1989.[1]

Work has been done to the expressway several times over its life, including the bridge diversions at Quarry Bay, completed in 2003, where Route 4 joins with Route 2. There is also a proposed extension of the Corridor into the hills of Chai Wan and Siu Sai Wan.

The Government has also proposed the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, which eastern end will connect to the Island Eastern Corridor.[3]

In 2008 the Island Eastern Corridor became the new venue of the Hong Kong Marathon 10km race, held on 2008-02-17. The race track started from City Garden in North Point, and ran eastwards until Shau Kei Wan, where it made a U-turn, back along westbound IEC and ended at Victoria Park, near the western terminus of the IEC. The noise problem caused by the IEC's design became evident as residents complained about noises as high as 60dB emitting at about five to six o'clock in the morning.[4][5]

In February 2008 the Government announced that it will construct a waterfront promenade between Causeway Bay and Sai Wan Ho, with significant sections at North Point running under Island Eastern Corridor, using floating boards. However, the Government is concerned about the plan violating the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance, since the boards may need to extend seabound due to the lack of space. Further study will take place regarding the feasibility of the project. When it is finished, a continuous promenade will be formed between Central and Sai Wan Ho, together with recreational land use projects related to the Central-Wan Chai Bypass.[6]

Alignment

The corridor starts at Causeway Bay as a viaduct, where it joins Victoria Park Road and Gloucester Road with a ramp. It then heads east along the coast of North Point, still a viaduct until it comes to Quarry Bay where it descends onto ground level, and interchanges with the approach road of Eastern Harbour Crossing. After it has passed Tai Koo Shing, it becomes a viaduct again, now crossing between Sai Wan Ho and Aldrich Bay, making a broad curve toward the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, where it returns to ground level and runs past A Kung Ngam and Heng Fa Chuen all the way towards Chai Wan. It ends near Chai Wan Park,at a large roundabout with Chai Wan Road and Wan Tsui Road in Chai Wan, just next to MTR Chai Wan Station.

The speed limit for the IEC expressway is 70 km/h.

Criticism

It is often criticised for using up the seafront which could have been enjoyed by residents of Hong Kong had alternative alignments been chosen. Residents have also complained about traffic noises owing to some sections' proximity to residential buildings, and it could be advised that there would have to be sound barriers installed along this section. It has been suggested that the Watson Road – Tin Chiu Street section of the corridor be replaced with a tunnel, but was never considered due to the complex nature of the necessary works.[7]

Bus routes using the Corridor

The bus companies in Hong Kong operate a number of "express" bus routes that travel on the Island Eastern Corridor. Examples are:

Junctions along the Corridor

The junctions along the corridor are as follows:

Road For Access Exit Number (Route 4)
Hing Fat Street Causeway Bay Limited access:
  • IEC eastbound no exit
  • IEC westbound no entry
 6B
Tong Shui Road North Point Limited access:
  • IEC westbound no exit
  • IEC eastbound no entry
 6A
Man Hong Street North Point/Quarry Bay Full access 6
Eastern Harbour Crossing (Route 2) Kowloon East Full access 5
Tai Koo Wan Road Tai Koo Shing Full access 4
Hong On Street/Tai Hong Street Kornhill/Sai Wan Ho Limited access:
  • IEC westbound no exit
  • IEC eastbound no entry
 3C
Nam On Street Shau Kei Wan/Aldrich Bay Limited access:
  • IEC eastbound no entry
  • IEC westbound no exit
 3B
Chai Wan Road Shek O and Stanley Limited access:
  • IEC westbound no exit
  • IEC eastbound no entry
 3A
Nam On Street Shau Kei Wan Limited access:
  • IEC eastbound no exit/entry
  • IEC westbound no entry
 2B
Tung Hei Road Aldrich Bay Limited access:
  • IEC westbound no entry
  • IEC eastbound no exit
 2A
Shing Tai Road/Wing Tai Road Siu Sai Wan and Heng Fa Chuen Full access
  • Westbound exit to Chai Wan only
  • Westbound entry at Heng Fa Chuen
 2
Lee Chung Street Chai Wan Limited access
  • Westbound exit only
 1

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Roads and Railways – Hong Kong Trunk Routes 1(中文)
  2. ↑ Maunsell Consultants Asia Ltd Project Information Sheet – Island Eastern Corridor, Hong Kong
  3. ↑ Housing, Planning and Land's Bureau. "Fact Sheet: Engineering aspects (Central and Wan Chai Reclamation)".
  4. ↑ "New Route for 2008 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon". ASIATravelTips.com.
  5. ↑ "馬拉松噪音超標居民投訴". Ming Pao. 18 February 2008.
  6. ↑ "海濱長廊擬中環直達北角". Ming Pao. 21 February 2008.
  7. ↑ LCQ17: Suggestion of replacing parts of Island Eastern Corridor with a tunnel

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Island Eastern Corridor.
Preceded by
Eastern Terminus		 Hong Kong Route 4

Island Eastern Corridor 		Succeeded by
Victoria Park Road

Coordinates: 22°17′37″N 114°11′57″E / 22.293547°N 114.199097°E / 22.293547; 114.199097

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