1.1.1
A Study Brief (No. ESB-037/1999) for a similar Project
of a different Project title namely “Tsuen Wan Road Upgrading” was issued under
the EIAO on 14 September 1999. The
current application for a new study brief with a new project title was made as
Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) considers that part of the project
scope has been changed while the new project title can better reflect the scope
of the project.
1.1.2
An application (No. ESB-141/2006) for an Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) study brief under Section 5(7) (1) of the
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) was submitted by CEDD on 9
February 2006 with a Project Profile (No. PP-277/2006). According to Section 5(7)(a)
of the EIAO, the Director of Environmental Protection (the Director) issued a
new EIA Study Brief (ESB-141/2006) in March 2006 to CEDD to carry out an EIA
study.
1.1.3
The Project title for the current EIA study is named
as “Tsuen Wan Bypass, Widening of Tsuen Wan Road between Tsuen Tsing
Interchange and Kwai Tsing Interchange and Associated Junction Improvement
Works”, (hereinafter known as
the “Project”). Figure
1-1 shows site boundary and proposed roadworks of the Project.
1.2.1
The
EIA is concerned with the issues associated with the proposed upgrading and
widening of the Tsuen Wan Road (TWR). The Project Profile prepared by CEDD, and
subsequently assessed by Environmental Protection Department (EPD), indicated
that the proposals comprise a Designated Project (DP) under Schedule 2, A.1 of the
EIAO: “A road which is an expressway, trunk road, primary distributor or
district distributor road including new roads, and major extensions or
improvements to existing roads”.
Under the requirements of the EIAO, the EIA is undertaken in support of
an application for an Environmental Permit (EP) to construct and operate the DP
67The EIA is
concerned with the issues associated with the proposed upgrading and widening
of the Tsuen Wan Road (TWR). The Project Profile prepared by CEDD, and
subsequently assessed by Environmental Protection Department (EPD), indicated
that the proposals comprise a Designated Project (DP) under Schedule 2, A.1 of
the EIAO: “A road which is an expressway, trunk road, primary
distributor or district distributor road including new roads, and major
extensions or improvements to existing roads”. Under the requirements of the EIAO, the EIA
is undertaken in support of an application for an Environmental Permit (EP) to
construct and operate the DP. In undertaking the EIA, the following components are addressed
according to the requirements stated in the new EIA Study Brief:
a) Noise Impact – assessment area generally includes
all areas within 300m from the Project boundary, could be reduced accordingly,
subject to the agreement of the Director, if the first layer of noise sensitive
receivers (NSRs) closer than 300m from the outer Project limit provides
acoustic shielding to those receivers at distance away from the Project;
a) Air Quality Impact – assessment area generally be
defined by a distance of 500m from the boundary of the Project site, yet shall
be extended to include major emission sources that may have a bearing on the
environmental acceptability of the Project.
Yeung Uk Road and Tuen Mun Road have be taken into account as emission
sources;
a) Water Quality Impact – study area includes all
areas within 300m from the Project boundary, and covers relevant sensitive
receivers that have a bearing on the environmental acceptability of the Project
within the Western Buffer Water Control Zone and Victoria Harbour (Phase
I) Water Control Zone;
a) Land Contamination – study area includes all land
lots / sites within the Project boundary which, due to their past or present
land uses, are potentially contaminated sites;
a) Landscape and Visual Impact – study areas include
all areas within 100m from the Project boundary, and to be defined by the
visual envelope of the Project;
a) Landfill Gas Hazard – mainly at former Gin
Drinker’s Bay Landfill (Kwai Chung Park);
a) Hazard to Life – mainly at Yau Kom Tau Water Treatment
Works (YKTWTW);
a) Ecological Impact – study area includes all lands
lots / site within the Project boundary, or likely to be directly associated
with the construction and operation of the Project; and
a) Impact on Cultural Heritage – all sites of cultural
heritage that might be adversely affected by the impact due to the construction
and operation of the Project.
1.3.1
This executive summary presents the major findings and results obtained from the assessment and evaluation
of the environmental impacts that may arise during the construction and
operation of the Project. Following impact prediction, requirements for
environmental remedial measures to address any unacceptable environmental
impacts are presented.
2.1.1
Scope of this Project is mainly to upgrade and widen the existing 2.8km
Tsuen Wan Road (TWR) between Tuen Mun Road (TMR) and Kwai Tsing
Interchange. Major scope of the Project
are as follows:
a)
construction of dual one-lane viaducts
parallel to the existing TWR between TMR and Hoi Kok Street;
b)
construction of dual 2-lane viaducts
parallel to the existing TWR between Hoi Kok Street and TusenTsuen Tsing Interchange;
c)
widening of the existing at-grade section
of TWR from dual 3-lane to dual 5-lane between Tsuen Tsing Interchange and Kwai
Tsing Interchange;
d)
modification of the associated existing
junctions, including Tai Chung Road interchange, Tsuen Tsing Interchange and
Kwai Tsing Interchange;
e)
provision of noise mitigation measures;
f)
reprovision/ modification to existing
crossing affected; and
g)
provision/ reprovision of associated
civil, structural, geotechnical, landscaping and associated drainage, traffic
installation and lighting works.
2.1.2
Figure 1-1 shows the general layout of the Project. Figure
2-1 shows the typical sections of TWR in the Project.
2.2.1
TWR is part of the strategic road network carrying out a significant
volume of long distance traffic through Tsuen Wan area, between the north-west
New Territories, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. It also functions as a
collector-distributor road in Tsuen Wan.
2.2.2
Future development of north-west New Territories, operation of MTRC
west rail and corresponding residential and commercial development, as well as
the planned MTRC residential development TW5, TW6 and TW7 would definitely lead
to an increase of traffic demand of the region. Currently, peak V/C ratio has already reached 1.0, which leads to
very often traffic congestion. It is
anticipated that the V/C ratio on TWR will be further increased up to 1.2 by
Year 2016, and leading to even more serious traffic congestion problem.
2.2.3
In order to relieve the foreseeable traffic congestion problem,
implementation of the Project is considered necessary.
2.3.1
The proposed works are due to be undertaken over a period of 48 months
commencing in June 2011, with completion scheduled in May 2015. The
construction programme and works areas are shown in Figures 2-2 and 2-3,
respectively.
3.1.1
Potential noise impact arising from the Project would be contributed by
both construction and operational phase.
This Section summarizes the identified potential sources of noise impact
during the both phases and the recommended noise mitigation measures to minimize
the identified noise impacts.
3.2.1
The predicted construction noise level with noise mitigation measures
at the majority of the representative NSRs shall comply with the corresponding
construction noise assessment criteria. Slight eExceedance of predicted
construction noise level would occur at some of the NSRs at different stages of
the construction work. The list of subjected NSRs and their residual
construction noise impacts are provided in Chapter 3 of the EIA
Report.
3.2.2
Practical mitigation measures such as the use of Quiet Powered mMechanical Equipment (QPME) employed in the works,
temporary noise barriers, noise jackets, mufflers, noise enclosures and
limiting the number of plants operated concurrently, are proposed to minimize
construction noise impact.
3.2.3
Further mitigation including good site practices as well as proper
scheduling to avoid noisy construction during school examinations, can be
adopted to further minimize the construction noise impact. Noise mitigation measures and construction monitoring are provided in
the EM&A manual to verify the effectiveness of the mitigation scheme
3.3.1
In the traffic noise impact assessment, the potential traffic noise
impacts on the identified NSRs within the Assessment Area have been evaluated
based on the maximum traffic flow projection of 15 years after the completion
of the Project (i.e. Year 2030), meanwhile friction course surface (i.e. low
noise surfacing pavement) has been incorporated in the assessment to any roads
in this Project with vehicle speed limit at 70 kph, as a high speed road
standard. It was predicted that the traffic noise levels arising from the
Project at some NSRs exceed the EIAO criteria. As a result, direct noise
mitigation measures including cantilevered noise barriers, semi and full noise
enclosures have been proposed for the compliance of noise criteria stipulated
in the EIAO-TM and EIAO Guidance Note No. 12/2005.
3.3.2
Table 3-1 summarizes the proposed direct noise mitigation
measures along the DP roads of the Project. Their locations and cross-sections
are illustrated graphically in Figure 3-1.
Table
3‑1 Summary of Proposed Noise Mitigation
Measures at Operation Phase for the Compliance of Road Traffic Noise Standards
Stipulated in the EIAO-TM
|
Items
|
Proposed Noise Mitigation Measures
|
Road Name
|
Direction
|
Major NSRs
Protected
|
|
ID
|
Description
|
Length
(m)
|
|
1
|
C1
|
5.5m with 3.5m cantilevered barrier
|
200
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Kowloon
Bound
|
Summit Terrace Block 3 and Block 5 (N11, N12)
|
|
2
|
C2
|
5.5m with 3.5m cantilevered barrier
|
371
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Kowloon
Bound
|
Development at TWTL 394 Tower 1 and Tower 2 (N63, N64)
|
|
3
|
C3
|
5.5m with 3.5m cantilevered barrier
|
560
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Kowloon
Bound
|
Development at TW6 Tower 1 and Tower 2 (N65, N66),
Development at TW7 Tower 1 to Tower 6 (N67-N72)
|
|
4
|
C4
|
5.5m with 3.5m cantilevered barrier
|
104
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Tuen Mun
Bound
|
The Panorama (N19)
|
|
5
|
C5
|
5.5m with 3.5m cantilevered barrier
|
635
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Tuen Mun
Bound
|
Development at TW5 Cityside Tower 10 and Tower 11 (N44,
N45), Development at TWTL 394 Tower 1 and Tower 2 (N63, N64)
|
|
6
|
C6
|
5.5m with 3.5m cantilevered barrier
|
334
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Tuen Mun
Bound
|
Development at TW5 Tower 1 (N46), Development at TW6 Tower
1 and Tower 2 (N65, N66), Development at TW7 Tower 1 (N67), Waterside Plaza
Block 1 (N74)
|
|
7
|
S1
|
Semi-enclosure
|
50
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Kowloon
Bound
|
Development at TW5 Bayside Tower 5 and Tower 6 (N50, N51)
|
|
8
|
S2
|
Semi-enclosure
|
229
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Kowloon
Bound
|
Tsuen Wan Plaza Tower 1 and Tower 2 (N37, N38), Clague
Garden Estate Block A to Block C (N40-N42), Development at TW5 Cityside Tower
10 and Tower 11 (N44, N45)
|
|
9
|
S3
|
Semi-enclosure
|
84
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Tuen Mun
Bound
|
Development at TW5 Bayside Tower 5 and Tower 6 (N50, N51)
|
|
10
|
S4
|
Semi-enclosure
|
105
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Tuen Mun
Bound
|
Development at TW7 Tower 3 to Tower 6 (N69 - N72)
|
|
11
|
F1
|
Full enclosure
|
110
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Kowloon
Bound
|
Tsuen Wan Plaza Tower 1 and Tower 2 (N37, N38), Clague
Garden Estate Block A to Block C (N40-N42), Development at TW5 Bayside Tower
2 to Tower 6 (N47-N51)
|
|
12
|
F2
|
Full enclosure
|
93
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Tuen Mun
Bound
|
Tsuen Wan Plaza Tower 1 and Tower 2 (N37, N38), Clague
Garden Estate Block A to Block C (N40-N42), Development at TW5 Bayside Tower
2 to Tower 6 (N47-N51)
|
|
13
|
F3
|
Full enclosure
|
58
|
Tsuen Wan
Road
|
Tuen Mun
Bound
|
Clague Garden Estate Block A to Block C (N40-N42), Tsuen
Wan Plaza Tower 1 and Tower 2 (N37, N38), Development at TW5 Bayside Tower 8
(N53)
|
3.3.3
With the incorporation of these proposed direct noise mitigation
measures, it is anticipated that the traffic noise levels at all of the
identified NSRs will comply with the criteria. Implementation of indirect noise
mitigation measures is therefore considered not necessary.
3.3.4
Monitoring of road traffic noise is recommended to verify the
effectiveness of the mitigation scheme during the first year after road
opening. More details are provided in
the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
4.1.1
As construction works are controlled under the Air Pollution Control
(Construction Dust) Regulations, it is mandatory that the construction works
are implemented in accordance with the legislative requirements and hence the
potential for causing dust nuisance is kept to a minimum level. Monitoring and audit requirements are
recommended in order to ensure that the air quality level complies with the
statutory requirements.
4.1.2
Typical construction works and the major dust generating activities
have been identified and reviewed. Good
site work practices based on the statutory requirements laid down in the Air
Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulations should be conveyed to site
staff to ensure effective implementation of dust control measures during the
construction phase. Provided these recommendations are followed, it is
anticipated that there should be no adverse air quality impact during the
construction to the adjacent Air Sensitive Receivers (ASRs) along the project
area.
4.1.3
Total air quality level associated with the operational phase, which is
contributed mainly by vehicular gaseous emission, portal emission from full
noise enclosures and chimney emission from industrial premises has been
assessed, with the consideration of background air quality level. Existing and proposed noise mitigation
measures for this Project have been taken into account in this air quality
impact assessment.
4.1.4
Results indicate that the predicted maximum hourly and daily
concentrations of NO2 shall comply with the corresponding Air
Quality Objective (AQO) hourly and daily limits of 300 µg/m3 and 150
µg/m3 respectively at all ASRs.
On the other hand, results of the predicted maximum daily RSP
concentration is well below the AQO limit of 180 µg/m3. In other words, it is anticipated that no
potential air quality impact to the ASRs will be resulted associated with the
operation phase of this Project, and no mitigation measures for air quality
impact during operational phase would be deemed necessary.
4.1.5
For ease of visualization, contour plots of hourly and daily average
concentration of NO2 at the worst hit level are presented in Figures
4-1 and 4-2 respectively. Contours for daily average concentrations of RSP
are illustrated in Figure 4-3.
5.1.1
Potential water quality impact generated by this Project are mainly
through the generation and discharge of silt-laden surface run-off from spoil
stockpiling areas and during landscape stripping as well as embankment
reworking. Specific mitigation measures have been specified to control such
impacts to the identified water sensitive receivers (WSRs).
5.1.2
Road run-off from the upgraded TWR during operation phase may contain
sediment and organic/inorganic pollutants. Provided that the measures
highlighted in the EIA report are adopted, and also the drainage network is
maintained appropriately, possible impact on the nearby WSRs should be minimal.
5.1.3
This water quality impact assessment has identified none of particular
insurmountable problems associated with either the road widening construction
works or the completed road operation. A number of mitigation measures have
been recommended, which are generally related to good construction site
management. Given the implementation of these measures, potential impact
associated with the construction and operation of the highway is not considered
significant.
6.1.1
The Project is likely to result in the generation of a variety of
wastes and require the management and disposal of C&D material, chemical
waste and general refuse. Provided that both the wastes are managed using
approved methods described above, no unacceptable adverse environmental impacts
will be envisaged.
6.1.2
The mitigation measures recommended in the EIA report should be
incorporated into a Waste Management Plan (WMP) and applied through the
contract documents to ensure that environmental nuisance does not arise.
6.1.3
There are a number of land uses adjacent to TWR that, according to
Section 3.1 of Annex 19 of the EIAO-TM, have the potential to cause land
contamination. The proposed TWR Upgrading works are not anticipated to encroach
upon these areas, and therefore further contaminated land site investigation
and assessment is not required.
7.1.1
The Landfill Gas (LFG) Hazard Assessment has been undertaken with
respect to the current proposals for the TWR Upgrading works. The assessment
has been undertaken in accordance with the EIAO-TM and the Guidance Note issued
by EPD.
7.1.2
The risks associated with LFG during the construction phase have been
classified as Medium. Since
construction works are to be carried out in close proximity to Gin Drinkers Bay
Landfill (GDBL) and within the Consultation Zone
(CZ),
certain mitigation measures are recommended for implementation during the
construction phase. The LFG mitigation measures stated in EIA report shall be
incorporated into the contract documents and the project proponent shall ensure
that all the measures will be fully implemented during the construction stage
of the Project.
7.1.3
The risks associated with LFG during the operation phase have been
classified as Low, and as such any underground utilities formed as part of the
road-widening works should be designated as “special routes”, and the necessary
precautions outlined in the Guidance Note should be adopted for all maintenance
or extension works. Requirements will be incorporated into the contract
documents if appropriate.
8.1.1
The construction and operation of the Tsuen Wan Road Upgrading will
result in a wide range of landscape and visual effects along the route
corridor.
8.1.2
Visual effects are particularly prominent along the northern, elevated
section where the road is overlooked by a number of residential tower
blocks. The widened road also passes
extremely close to a school and through Tsuen Wan Park causing significant
visual and landscape effects.
8.1.3
Landscape effects along the southern, ground level section, are more
pronounced, with the carriageway widening works resulting in the loss of the
established belts of casuarina trees on either side of the road.
8.1.4
Figures 8-1 to 8-9106 illustrate
the conceptual landscape layout and photomontages.
8.1.5
Notwithstanding these significant construction and short term effects
the implementation of those landscape mitigation works identified will
progressively reduce virtually all effects to an acceptable level by Year 10 of
Operation. The only long term,
significant residual effect identified being upon the pupils and staff of the
Tsuen Wan Salvation Army School, whose school building and playground will be
overshadowed by the proximity and form of the elevated widened road,
notwithstanding the provision of a visual/acoustic barrier.
9.1.1
This QRA study re-assessed the hazard to life associated with a
potential chlorine spill at the Yau Kom Tau Water Treatment Works (YKT WTW) in
light of the increased road and workforce population associated with the
construction and operational phases of the Tsuen Wan Rd Upgrading Project. The
study methodology is based on the previous YKT WTW assessment conducted in Year
2001, which in turn was very similar to the previous chlorine spill hazard
assessment for Route 8 (formerly Route 16), however the newest projections of
the general population in the area have been taken into account. While the methodology has been carefully
re-examined, based on the review of the recent chlorine incidents worldwide, it
proved robust and adequate for the present assessment. Thus, most revisions
introduced to the present methodology relate to the population assumption.
9.1.2
The QRA shows that the road population increases during the operational
phase of the Tsuen Wan Rd Upgrading Project as well as the workforce population
during the construction phase have little effect on the total societal risks in
the vicinity of YKTWTW, as expressed by the total PLL value and the FN
curves. While these risks, similar to
the previous assessment remain within the “As Low As Reasonably Practicable”
(ALARP) region of the HKPSG Risk Guidelines, it should be noted that due to the
updated population projections introduced in this study, the general risk
levels even for the 2030 project operational phase are slightly lower than
those predicted for 2006 in the previous assessment.
9.1.3
Since all the mitigation measures at YKT WTW suggested in previous
assessment to reduce the risk to ALARP levels have already been implemented, no
new mitigation measures are recommended in this study. Similarly, since the
risk levels to the road and workforce population of Tsuen Wan Road are
relatively low due to its significant distance to YKT WTW, and since the risk
to this population is dominated by an earthquake event affecting the YKT WTW
and the Tsuen Wan Rd and subsequent chlorine release at WTW, no mitigation
measure that could significantly reduce such risk is considered cost-effective
or practicable. Nevertheless a number
of measures suggested in the EIA report such as introduction of no stopping
zones and emergency traffic signals on the relevant roads as well as
establishing adequate emergency procedures for the Project workforce are
recommended. for the Project Proponent consideration.
10.1.1
Within the project area there are no recognized
sites of conservation importance, or important habitats, and no species of
conservation importance other than a small planted population of Lagerstroemia
Speciosa along a roadside verge. Some tree felling and transplantation will be
required in areas of urban parkland or amenity plantation, but these will be
mitigated by compensatory planting. Within the project area
there is no recognized site of conservation importance, or important habitats,
and no species of conservation importance is identified.
10.1.2
With reference to Appendix A of Annex 16 of the EIAO-TM:
·
The project does not lie within any
recognized sites of conservation importance (as identified in Note 1 of
Appendix A to Annex 16 of the EIAO-TM);
·
The project will not affect any important
habitats (as identified in Note 2 of Appendix A to Annex 16 of the EIAO-TM);
and
·
The project will not affect habitats
supporting significant populations of species of conservation importance (as
identified in Note 3 of Appendix A to Annex 16 of the EIAO-TM). Although a small number of Lagerstroemia
Speciosa will require felling, these species are amenity plantation and cannot
be considered as a significant population of wild flora.
10.1.3
Having regard to the conditions above, it is concluded that a
detailed ecological assessment is not required for the project, and that the
ecological impacts would be negligible in this project.
11.1.1
Key sites of cultural heritage interest identified by the Antiquities
and Monuments Office occur in Wang Fat Ching She (WFCS) and lie at some
distance from the Tsuen Wan Road (about 100 metres). These sites will not be
impacted by the proposals either directly, or indirectly. However, it is
recommended that any works leading to changes in the development area near the
junction of the Tsuen Wan Road and the Tuen Mun Highway should be noted in
order to prevent any damage on the WFCS.
11.1.2
Potential impacts of the upgrading scheme upon existing graves site and
the archaeology of the surrounding area are considered insignificant.
12.1.1
Environmental
monitoring and audit are recommended for construction dust, noise and water
quality, to check compliance with relevant statutory criteria and to ensure the
effectiveness of the mitigation measures.
Site inspection and audit are also recommended for waste management and
implementation of landscaping during construction. Details of the recommended mitigation measures, monitoring
procedures and locations are presented in a stand-alone Environmental
Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual.
This will enable the Contractor to have early warning and provide
necessary action to reduce impacts at specific areas if the critical assessment
criteria are approached. The
effectiveness of on-site control measures would also be evaluated through a
monitoring exercise. All the
recommended mitigation measures will be incorporated in an EM&A programme
during implementation.
13.1.1
The findings
of this EIA have provided information on the nature and extent of environmental
impacts arising from the construction and operation of the Project. The EIA has, where appropriate, identified
mitigation measures to ensure compliance with environmental legislation and
standards.
13.1.2
Overall, the
EIA for Tsuen Wan Road Bypass, Widening of Tsuen Wan Road between Tsuen Tsing
Interchange and Associated Junction Improvement Works has predicted that the Project will
generally comply with environmental standards and legislation after the
proposed construction and operation stage mitigation measures are
implemented. This EIA has also
demonstrated the general acceptability of the residual impacts from the Project
and the protection of the population and environmentally sensitive resources. Environmental monitoring and audit mechanisms
have been recommended to verify the effectiveness of recommended mitigation
measures.
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