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Infrastructures in Hong Kong (1)

Hong Kong

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT or XHT) is Hong Kong's first underwater tunnel, consisting of two steel road tunnels with two lanes each, constructed using the single shell immersed tube method. Opened in 1972, it was the first of three vehicular harbour crossings in Hong Kong. Initially built under a 30-year private-sector franchise, the tunnel’s title passed to the Hong Kong government in 1999 when the franchise ended.The tunnel, one of the most congested roads in Hong Kong, saw 116,753 vehicles passing through daily in 2013. The project followed a build–operate–transfer (BOT) model, with a private company responsible for financing, construction, operation, and toll collection for 30 years. The original concession was granted to Cross-Harbour Tunnel Company Limited (now Cross-Harbour Holdings Limited), which was founded in 1965. The Hong Kong government held a 20% stake to maintain influence. Designed with two lanes in each direction, the tunnel was intended to accommodate 80,000 vehicles daily. The project was jointly engineered by Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick & Partners and Freeman Fox & Partners.Linking Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, the tunnel connects Kellett Island (now part of Hong Kong Island due to reclamation) to a reclaimed area near Hung Hom Bay in Kowloon, near the former Hong Kong Technical College. The tunnel's toll plaza, located at the Hung Hom end, has 14 toll booths. Before its construction, cross-harbour vehicular traffic relied on ferries, while passengers used the Star Ferry.Construction began in September 1969 and was completed a year ahead of schedule, opening on 2 August 1972. Initially charging HK$5 per car, the operator recouped the construction costs in just three and a half years. In 1984, the Hong Kong government introduced an additional tax to address overcrowding, raising the toll to HK$10 per car.In 1993, an electronic toll collection system was installed, increasing vehicle capacity by better managing traffic flow. The tunnel was operated by Cross-Harbour Tunnel Company Ltd until 1999, after which the government took over. From November 2010, Serco managed the tunnel under contract, later replaced by Chun Wo Tunnel Management Limited in 2016. In November 2022, Serco resumed management.The tunnel gained cultural significance in 2017 when it was featured in the Hong Kong action film 'Shock Wave', starring Andy Lau. In November 2019, during the Hong Kong protests, demonstrators set up roadblocks and set fire to tollbooths, leading to the tunnel's closure for several days.In 2023, manual toll collectors were replaced by HKeToll, an electronic toll collection system. Cash and Octopus Cards are no longer accepted, and toll booths have been removed. The tunnel now generates approximately HK$700 million in annual toll revenue.

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