Kwai Chung Road (葵涌道) is situated in central Kwai Chung in Kwai Tsing District, New Territories, which extends northwards to Mei Foo in Sham Shui Po District, Kowloon. It is a dual carriageway with northbound and southbound lanes. The section of Kwai Chung Road south of Tsuen Wan Road currently forms part of Route 5.
The section south of Kwai Chung Interchange comprises the Lai Chi Kok Bridge (荔枝角大橋), which was Hong Kong's first cross-sea bridge that spanned Lai Chi Kok Bay. Following multiple reclamation projects, it has been transformed into an ordinary overpass for vehicular traffic.
History[]
The Government commenced planning for the Kwai Chung Container Terminals in the 1960s, with the construction of the Lai Chi Kok Bridge linking Kwai Chung and Mei Foo, along with Kwai Chung Road, also being finalised. On 18 October 1968, Kwai Chung Road was gazetted and named[2] with its opening ceremony presided over by Acting Governor Sir David Trench on the 29th of the same month, with the road opening to traffic at 7:00 pm that evening.[3] The following day, KMB routes 16, 33 and 40 were rerouted via this road, ceasing to operate along Castle Peak Road - Kwai Chung.[4]
At that time, the Lai Chi Kok Bridge spanned Lai Wan bay; the bay has since long been filled in, becoming Lai Chi Kok Park and the Mei Foo Station on the KCR West Rail (now MTR Tuen Ma Line).
In the 1967 Hong Kong Mass Transport Study, the proposed Mass Transit Railway system included plans for a "For Kong Station" to serve Kwai Chung Container Terminal. Subsequently, the Housing Authority decided to construct Lai King Estate, and the station was renamed Lai King Station, opening in 1982.[5] At that time, a vehicular flyover spanning Kwai Chung Road passed in front of Lai King Station, connecting Container Terminals 1 and 2, which was later demolished. The Kwai Chung Interchange was also redeveloped: the original flyover from Lai King Hill Road to Ching Cheung Road and Container Port Road South was converted to provide access solely to Mei Foo.
Following the opening of Kwai Chung Road and Lai Chi Kok Bridge, vehicular travel between West Kowloon and Kwai Chung, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, and Yuen Long became significantly more convenient, eliminating the need to detour via Castle Peak Road. Traffic volumes on Kwai Chung Road have steadily increased since its opening, indirectly facilitating the development of new towns in the western New Territories. Alongside later additions such as Tsuen Wan Road and Tuen Mun Road, it forms a key strategic route for commuting to and from the western New Territories. To cope with the increasing traffic volume, Kwai Chung Road was widened in the 1990s and the Government also constructed the Route 3 link road near the junction with Tsuen Wan Road to alleviate traffic congestion on Kwai Chung Road.
The section of Kwai Chung Road north of Tsuen Wan Road also underwent changes, featuring a flyover constructed in the 1990s to alleviate congestion in the Tai Lin Pai Industrial Estate. Due to road marking issues, vehicles travelling between Tsing Kwai Highway and Kwai Chung Road, as well as those heading southbound from Kwai Chung Road towards Lai King, were unable to utilise this flyover.
Structure[]
Kwai Chung Road is currently divided into three main sections, demarcated by the junction with Tsuen Wan Road and the Kwai Chung Interchange. The section south of Tsuen Wan Road forms part of Route 5.
South of Kwai Chung Interchange lies the Lai Chi Kok Bridge, an elevated section passing through Mei Foo and the former Lai Wan area, connecting Cheung Sha Wan Road (towards Kowloon) and Lai Chi Kok Road (in both directions). The Mei Foo Public Transport Interchange, situated beneath Lai Chi Kok Bridge, ranks among Kowloon Peninsula's largest bus and minibus termini.
The section between Kwai Chung Interchange and Tsuen Wan Road is Kwai Chung Road's busiest stretch. Most vehicles travelling between Tsuen Wan Road and Kowloon pass through here, as do those travelling between Ching Cheung Road and the New Territories. This section features four lanes in each direction, totalling eight lanes, running parallel to Tsing Kwai Highway and Container Port Road South.
The section north of Tsuen Wan Road does not form part of Hong Kong Strategic Routes. However, as it serves as a principal thoroughfare within the Kwai Tsing District, many passengers travelling to and from various parts of Kwai Chung wait for buses along Kwai Chung Road. Consequently, bus traffic volumes here are no less significant than on other sections.
Exit locations[]
| Connecting points of Route 5 section of Kwai Chung Road (from east to west) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exit no. | Intersection name | Connecting road(s) | Remarks |
 Lai Chi Kok Road
| |||
| 8C | Cheung Sha Wan Road | Southbound only, accessible to Cheung Sha Wan | |
| 9 | Cheung Sha Wan Road | Southbound only, accessible to Mei Foo | |
| 9A | Kwai Chung Interchange | Lai King Hill Road, Container Port Road South | Northbound only |
| 9B | Kwai Chung Interchange |  Ching Cheung Road, Container Port Road South |
Southbound only |
| 9C | Kwai Chung Road | Northbound only | |
| 10 | Kwai Tsing Interchange | Hing Fong Road, Kwai Tsing Road | Northbound only, lane changing required before Container Terminals (9C) |
| Tsuen Wan Road
| |||
Bus stops[]
| Bus stops along Kwai Chung Road (from north to south) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Northbound stop | Southbound stop | Brief location | Remarks |
| Castle Peak Road - Kwai Chung (connects to Cheung Wing Road) | |||
| Kwong Fai Circuit | / | Near Kwong Fai Circuit | |
| Kwai Wing Road (southbound, straight on traffic only) | |||
| Wo Kwai Lane (northbound) | |||
| Tai Lin Pai Road (southbound) | |||
| ／ | Kwai Chun Court | Outside Hoover Industrial Building, opposite to Kwai Chun Court | Displayed as "Kwai Chun Court, Kwai Chung Road" on LWB stop reporters |
| Sun Kwai Hing Gardens | Near Kwai On Road | ||
| Kwai Yik Road/Kwai On Road | |||
| Kwai Fong Estate | Outside Kwai Fong Estate, after Kwai On Road | ||
| Kwai Fong Plaza | / | Outside Kwai Fong Plaza | Once named "Kwai Fong Estate" by LWB and "Kwai Fong Shopping Centre" by KMB |
| Kwai Foo Road (accessible to Kwai Fong Station)/Tai Lin Pai Road | |||
| Lai King Hill Road (southbound only) | |||
 Tsing Kwai Highway (enter from southbound or leave from northbound)
| |||
| Tsuen Wan Road (south of this point belongs to Route 5)
| |||
| Lai King Estate Kwai Chung Road | Tsuen Wan Road junction | ||
| Kwai Chung Interchange (connects to Ching Cheung Road)
| |||
| Kwai Chung Interchange | Within Kwai Chung Interchange | ||
| Kwai Chung Interchange (south of this point belongs to Sham Shui Po District) | |||
Remark: There are flyovers on the sections from the Kwai Fuk Road overpass to Sun Kwai Hing Gardens, and from Wo Kwai Lane to Cheung Wing Road; details are omitted. There are no bus stops on the Lai Chi Kok Bridge.
Bus routes passing through Kwai Chung Road Flyover[]
The Kwai Tsuen Road overpass was formerly served by KMB routes 35X (northbound), 234C, 936 (northbound) and 936A (northbound); however, these routes were successively rerouted via the Kwai Chung–Kwai Tsuen section of the New Territories West New Expressway. As of 22 August 2022, no franchised bus routes have used the overpass. All routes that pass along Kwai Chung Road between Kwai Fong and Kwai Hing now run directly on the ground level.
Public transport routes passing through Lai Chi Kok Bridge[]
As multiple routes to and from the western New Territories pass via Lai Chi Kok Bridge, this section therefore only includes routes traversing the section of Lai Chi Kok Bridge above Mei Foo Bus Terminus.
Franchised buses[]
| Franchised bus routes observing Lai Chi Kok Bridge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Route no. | Origin | Destination | Service type |
| Template:KMB 234P doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 238P | Tsuen Wan (Riviera Gardens) | China Ferry Terminal (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Saturdays during morning peak hours, omit Cheung Sha Wan Road, one-way eastbound ● |
| Template:KMB 252B doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 259B | Tuen Mun Pier Head | Tsim Sha Tsui (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Fridays during morning peak hours, one-way eastbound ● |
| KMB | 260B | Tuen Mun Central | Tsim Sha Tsui (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Fridays during morning peak hours, one-way eastbound ● |
| KMB | 261B | Tuen Mun (Sam Shing Estate) | Kowloon Station (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Saturdays during morning peak hours, via Sham Tseng, one-way eastbound ● |
| KMB | 268X | Hung Shui Kiu (Hung Fuk Estate) | Jordan (West Kowloon Station) | Service daily, via Yuen Long Town, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Jordan (West Kowloon Station) | Hung Shui Kiu (Hung Fuk Estate) | |||
| KMB | 269X | Tin Shui | Jordan (West Kowloon Station) | Outbound Mondays to Fridays during morning peak hours, one-way eastbound ● |
Green minibuses[]
| Green minibus (GMB) routes observing on Lai Chi Kok Bridge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Route no. | Origin | Destination | Service type |
| Top Billion (Asia) | 411 | Highland Terrace | Castle Peak Road | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Castle Peak Road | Highland Terrace | |||
| Template:NTGMB 610S doesn't exist! | ||||
Bus fan culture[]
The entrance to Kwai Chung Interchange at Lai Chi Kok Bridge section of Kwai Chung Road was once a popular spotting locations for bus fans, which was referred to as "荔橋" in Chinese.[6]
Gallery[]
Remarks[]
Related articles[]
- Tsuen Wan Road
- Castle Peak Road - Kwai Chung
- Tsing Kwai Highway
- Lai Chi Kok Road
References[]
- ↑ G.N. 2144: Municipal Council Notice: Street Naming, Hong Kong Government Gazette, Volume 121, Issue 34, 24 August 1979.
- ↑ G.N. 2165: "Municipal Council Notice: Naming of Streets", Hong Kong Government Gazette, vol. 110, no. 42, 18 October 1968.
- ↑ "荔枝角橋及葵涌道 今晚開放通車" (Lai Chi Kok Bridge and Kwai Chung Road to open to traffic tonight), Wah Kiu Yat Po, 29 October 1968.
- ↑ "九龍巴士乘客宜知 三綫明晨改道 配合新橋新路開用" (Notice to KMB passengers: 3 routes to be rerouted with the opening of new bridge and road), Wah Kiu Yat Po, 29 October 1968.
- ↑ http://www.dckwaitsing.org.hk/ktdc-web/c/hk_photo_connect_1980_c.faces
- ↑ http://www.buscess.com/positions/viewPosition/J626337
External links[]
Lai Chi Kok Bridge
| Hong Kong Strategic Routes | |
|---|---|
| Route 1 | Aberdeen Praya Road • Wong Chuk Hang Road • Wong Chuk Hang Road Flyover • Aberdeen Tunnel • Wong Nai Chung Gap Flyover • Canal Road Flyover • Cross-Harbour Tunnel • Hong Chong Road • Princess Margaret Road • Waterloo Road • Lion Rock Tunnel • Lion Rock Tunnel Road • Sha Tin Road |
| Route 2 | Eastern Harbour Crossing • Lei Yue Mun Road • Kwun Tong Bypass • Tate's Cairn Tunnel • Tate's Cairn Highway |
| Route 3 | Western Harbour Crossing • West Kowloon Highway • Tsing Kwai Highway • Cheung Tsing Highway • Cheung Tsing Tunnel • North West Tsing Yi Interchange • Ting Kau Bridge • Tsing Long Highway • Tai Lam Tunnel |
| Route 4 | Island Eastern Corridor • Central - Wan Chai Bypass • Rumsey Street Flyover • Connaught Road West Flyover |
| Route 5 | Kai Fuk Road • Kai Tak Tunnel • East Kowloon Corridor • Chatham Road North • Chatham Road South • Gascoigne Road • Ferry Street • West Kowloon Corridor • Lai Chi Kok Road • Kwai Chung Road (including Lai Chi Kok Bridge) • Tsuen Wan Road |
| Route 6 | Tseung Lam Highway (including Tseung Kwan O - Lam Tin Tunnel) |
| Route 7 | Wan Po Road • Tseung Kwan O Tunnel Road • Tseung Kwan O Tunnel • Tseung Kwan O Road • Lei Yue Mun Road • Kwun Tong Road Underpass • Kwun Tong Road • Lung Cheung Road • Ching Cheung Road |
| Route 8 | Tsing Sha Highway (including Tai Wai Tunnel, Sha Tin Heights Tunnel and Eagle's Nest Tunnel) • Stonecutters Bridge • Nam Wan Tunnel • Cheung Tsing Tunnel • North West Tsing Yi Interchange • Lantau Link (including Tsing Ma Bridge, Ma Wan Viaduct and Kap Shui Mun Bridge) • North Lantau Highway |
| Route 9 | |
| Route 10 | |
| List of tunnels and bridges | |
|---|---|
| Road harbour crossings | |
| Hong Kong Island | Aberdeen Tunnel • Ap Lei Chau Bridge • Central - Wan Chai Bypass |
| Kowloon | Lai Chi Kok Bridge • West Kowloon Corridor • East Kowloon Corridor • Kai Tak Tunnel • Kwun Tong Bypass |
| New Territories | Shing Mun Tunnels • Cheung Tsing Tunnel • Tai Lam Tunnel • Discovery Bay Tunnel • Nam Wan Tunnel • Stonecutters Bridge • Cheung Tsing Bridge • Tsing Tsuen Bridge (Tsing Yi North Bridge) • Tsing Yi Bridge and Kwai Tsing Bridge (Tsing Yi South Bridge) • Tsing Ma Bridge, Ma Wan Viaduct and Kap Shui Mun Bridge • Ting Kau Bridge • Shenzhen Bay Bridge • Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (including Scenic Hill Tunnel) • Lung Shan Tunnel and Cheung Shan Tunnel • Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok Tunnel • Airport Tunnel • Tseung Kwan O Cross Bay Link |
| Connecting Kowloon and New Territories | Lion Rock Tunnel • Tseung Kwan O Tunnel • Tate's Cairn Tunnel • Eagle's Nest Tunnel, Sha Tin Heights Tunnel and Tai Wai Tunnel • Tseung Kwan O - Lam Tin Tunnel |