Yuen Long Highway (元朗公路) is a Yuen Long District expressway connecting Lam Tei in Tuen Mun and Au Tau in Yuen Long, interchanges with Tuen Mun Road and Tsing Long Highway, and links up with trunk roads such as the Kong Sham Western Highway, the Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long, the Castle Peak Road - Lingnan, and so on.
History[]
Yuen Long Highway, formerly known as Yuen Long Bypass (元朗繞道), is part of the New Territories Circular Road (Route 9)[1] and is mainly divided into two sections, namely the "Tuen Mun Eastern Corridor" in the west and the "Yuen Long Southern Bypass" in the east, with the Tong Yan San Tsuen Interchange as the interchange; the western portion of Yuen Long Highway was commissioned on 10 July 1993 while the eastern portion was commissioned on 1 December 1994.
When the Yuen Long Highway was first planned, a dedicated area was reserved for the future widening of the highway to the required standard so that the impact of land acquisition on the residents and the environment along the alignment could be minimised.
Pok Oi Interchange[]
The opening of Route 3 (Country Park Section) at 3:30 p.m. on 25 May 1998 immediately attracted a large number of vehicles to use it instead of the longer Tuen Mun Road, causing congestion at the Pok Oi Roundabout where the Pok Oi Flyover had not yet been built. In particular, during the afternoon peak hours, a large number of vehicles were returning to Yuen Long from the Tai Lam Tunnel and travelling to CCastle Peak Road - Yuen Long via Yuen Long Highway and Pok Oi Roundabout, causing a bottleneck at the Pok Oi Roundabout which was unable to divert the huge volume of traffic, and the queue extended for several kilometres.
After observing the situation for a month, the Transport Department (TD) decided to implement temporary traffic control measures at Pok Oi roundabout from 24 June. The section of Pok Oi roundabout between the southbound entrance of Yuen Long Highway and the westbound exit of Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long would be designated as a bus-only lane, which will take effect from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day, and will be open for passage by franchised buses only. Other vehicles coming from Tai Lam Tunnel and San Tin Highway southbound heading for Yuen Long town centre cannot turn right via the Pok Oi roundabout to Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long and may choose to turn left to Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long and then turn around at Au Tau roundabout, or go straight to Yuen Long Highway southbound and then turn around at Shap Pat Heung roundabout. There was a further need to provide a temporary exit from San Tin Highway southbound to Castle Peak Road - Tam Mi so that traffic from New Territories North can choose to return to Castle Peak Road southbound and Au Tau Roundabout to Yuen Long from the temporary exit, thus avoiding the worsening of the congestion at Pok Oi Roundabout. [2]
The Pok Oi Flyover across the Pok Oi Roundabout was finally opened to traffic on 5 February 1999 at 3:00 pm. Since then, people travelling to and from Yuen Long Highway and Kowloon via Route 3, or to and from Yuen Long Highway and the northern New Territories via San Tin Highway, could use the Pok Oi Flyover without going through the Pok Oi roundabout. [3]
Expansion of Yuen Long Highway[]
According to the Tin Shui Wai Development Study conducted in 1996, most of the sections of Yuen Long Highway would exceed their utilisation capacity by the end of 2001. To cope with the traffic demand arising from the future population growth in Northwest New Territories, Yuen Long Highway was widened in phases from a dual two-lane to a triple two-lane carriageway, with the section between Tan Kwai Tsuen and Shap Pat Heung commencing in March 2003, followed by the section between Lam Tei and Tan Kwai Tsuen in conjunction with the Deep Bay Link project, and the whole section of Yuen Long Highway widening project was completed in March 2006 [4]
To improve the traffic conditions of Pok Oi Interchange and the nearby road sections, Highways Department completed the improvement works of Pok Oi Interchange in October 2016, including the construction of northbound and southbound connections of Yuen Long Highway and the addition of a left-turn lane at the exit of Pok Oi Hospital, so that vehicles travelling between Yuen Long South and Tai Lam Tunnel as well as North District, as well as vehicles travelling from Tai Lam Tunnel and North District to Au Tau can bypass the Pok Oi Interchange. The Transport Department has also completed the road marking improvement works at the slip road of Long Tin Road connecting Yuen Long Highway towards Sheung Shui in January 2017 to help vehicles merge into Yuen Long Highway from the slip road of Long Tin Road. [5]
Structure[]
The interchanges are Tuen Mun Road and Tsing Long Highway, which is a dual three-lane carriageway with two slip roads connecting Pok Oi Interchange and Shap Pat Heung Interchange respectively.
Exit locations[]
| Intersections of Yuen Long Highway (from east to west) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exit no. | Intersection name | Connecting road(s) | Remarks |
  Tsing Long Highway
| |||
| 12 | Tsing Long Highway |
Connects to Route 3 Country Park Section | |
| 13 | Pok Oi Interchange | Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long | Eastbound exit is Shap Pat Heung Interchange, westbound exit is Pok Oi Interchange; detouring via slip road required to head to other interchanges |
| Shap Pat Heung Interchange | Shap Pat Heung Road | ||
| 13A | Westbound only, the new slip road opened in February 2015 is accessible to Yuen Long South and Tai Tong | ||
| 14 | Tong Yan San Tsuen Interchange | Long Tin Road | Accessible to Yuen Long Town or Tin Shui Wai |
| 15 | Tin Shui Wai West Interchange | Hung Tin Road | Accessible to Tin Shui Wai |
| 16 |  Kong Sham Western Highway |
Accessible to Nanshan District, Shenzhen, connecting to Route 10 | |
| 17 | Lam Tei Interchange | Castle Peak Road - Lingnan | Accessible to Lam Tei, Fu Tei and Tuen Mun Town Centre |
| Tuen Mun Road
| |||
Routes observed[]
Franchised buses[]
| List of Franchised Bus Routes observing Yuen Long Highway | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Route No. | Origin | Destination | Service Type |
| The following routes pass through the whole of Yuen Long Highway | ||||
| Template:KMB 261S doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 261X doesn't exist! | ||||
| LWB | E43 | Fanling (Wah Ming) | Tung Chung Development Pier | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays during Morning Peak Hours ● |
| Tung Chung Development Pier | Fanling (Wah Ming) | Inbound service Mondays to Fridays during Afternoon Peak Hours ● | ||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Tsing Long Highway to Lam Tei Interchange | ||||
| Citybus | 56 | Tuen Mun (Ching Tin and Wo Tin) | Sheung Shui (Tin Ping Estate) | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays during Morning Peak Hours ● |
| Sheung Shui (Tin Ping Estate) | Tuen Mun (Ching Tin and Wo Tin) | Inbound service Mondays to Fridays during Afternoon Peak Hours ● | ||
| Citybus | 56A | Tuen Mun (Ching Tin and Wo Tin) | Queen's Hill Fanling | Service Mondays to Fridays during peak hours, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Queen's Hill Fanling | Tuen Mun (Ching Tin and Wo Tin) | |||
| KMB | 261 | Tuen Mun (Sam Shing) | Fanling (Cheung Wah) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Fanling (Cheung Wah) | Tuen Mun (Sam Shing) | |||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Tsing Long Highway to Hung Tin Road | ||||
| KMB | 69X Special Trips |
Tin Yiu | Jordan (West Kowloon Station) (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Saturdays during Morning Peak Hours, one-way northbound ● |
| Template:KMB 261P doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269C doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269D doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969B doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969B doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969B doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969C doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969X doesn't exist! | ||||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Tsing Long Highway to Long Tin Road | ||||
| Template:KMB 65X doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 69C | Tin Yan Estate | Kwun Tong Ferry | Outbound service Saturdays during morning, holidays during Morning Peak Hours ● |
| Kwun Tong Ferry | Tin Yan Estate | Inbound service Mondays to Fridays during Afternoon Peak Hours ● | ||
| Template:KMB 69M doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 69P doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 69X | Tin Shui | Jordan (West Kowloon Station) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Jordan (West Kowloon Station) | Tin Shui | |||
| Template:KMB 265B doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 265M doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 265S doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269A doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269B doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269C doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269M doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269P doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269S doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269X doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 276A doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 276B | Tin Fu | Sheung Shui (Choi Yuen) | Service daily, via Lok Ma Chau, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Sheung Shui (Choi Yuen) | Tin Fu | |||
| Template:CHT 967 doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 967X doesn't exist! | ||||
| Citybus | 969 | Tin Shui Wai Town Centre[Remark 1] | Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) | Tin Shui Wai Town Centre | |||
| Template:CHT 969A doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969B doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969C doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969C doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969N doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 969P doesn't exist! | ||||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Hung Tin Road to Tuen Mun Road | ||||
| LWB | A37 | Long Ping Station | Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Outbound service daily, via Tin Shui Wai ● |
| Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Long Ping Station | Inbound service daily after Morning Peak Hours, via Tin Shui Wai ● | ||
| LWB | E36A | Tung Chung (Yat Tung Estate) | Yuen Long (Tak Yip Street) | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays whole-day, Saturdays and holidays during morning to nighttime, via Tuen Mun Town Centre and Tin Yiu Estate, also passes through a section from Shap Pat Heung Interchange to Long Tin Road ● |
| Yuen Long (Tak Yip Street) | Tung Chung (Yat Tung Estate) | Inbound service daily, via Tuen Mun Town Centre and Tin Yiu Estate, also passes through a section from Shap Pat Heung Interchange to Long Tin Road ● | ||
| LWB | E37C | Tin Shui Wai Town Centre | Aircraft Maintenance Area | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays during early morning, via Tuen Mun Central and On Yau ● |
| Aircraft Maintenance Area | Tin Shui Wai Town Centre | Inbound service Mondays to Fridays during Afternoon Peak Hours hours to nighttime, via Tuen Mun Central and On Yau ● | ||
| LWB | N30 | Yuen Long Station | Airport (Cheong Tat Road) | Outbound service daily during early morning, via Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun ● |
| Airport (Cheong Tat Road) | Yuen Long Station | Inbound service daily overnight, via Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun ● | ||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Hung Tin Road to Kong Sham Western Highway | ||||
| NLB | B2P | Tin Shui Wai (Tin Tsz Estate) | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | Tin Shui Wai (Tin Tsz Estate) | |||
| NLB | B2X | Tin Shui Wai (Tin Yiu Estate) | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service Saturdays and holidays whole-day, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | Tin Shui Wai (Tin Yiu Estate) | |||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Kong Sham Western Highway to Tuen Mun Road/Lam Tei Interchange | ||||
| NLB | B2 | Yuen Long Station | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | Yuen Long Station | |||
| Citybus | B3 | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | |||
| Citybus | B3A | Shan King Estate | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | Shan King Estate | |||
| Citybus | B3M | Shenzhen Bay Port | ↺Tuen Mun Station | Service daily during daytime after Morning Peak Hours, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| ↺Tuen Mun Station | Shenzhen Bay Port | |||
| Citybus | B3X | Tuen Mun Town Centre | Shenzhen Bay Port | Service daily after Morning Peak Hours, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | Tuen Mun Town Centre | |||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Tsing Long Highway to Pok Oi Interchange | ||||
| Template:KMB 64X doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 68M doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 68X | Hung Shui Kiu (Hung Fuk Estate) | Mong Kok (Park Avenue) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Mong Kok (Park Avenue) | Hung Shui Kiu (Hung Fuk Estate) | |||
| Template:KMB 264R doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 265S doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 268A | Long Ping Estate | Kwun Tong Ferry | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays during Morning Peak Hours, viaTung Tau Industrial Area ● |
| Kwun Tong Ferry | Long Ping Estate | Inbound service Mondays to Fridays during Afternoon Peak Hours, viaTung Tau Industrial Area ● | ||
| Template:KMB 268B doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 268C | Long Ping Station | Kwun Tong Ferry | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Kwun Tong Ferry | Long Ping Station | |||
| Template:KMB 268P doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 268X doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 269D doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 276 doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 276C doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 276P doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:KMB 869 doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | 968 | Yuen Long (West) | Causeway Bay (Tin Hau) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Causeway Bay (Tin Hau) | Yuen Long (West) | |||
| Template:CHT 968A doesn't exist! | ||||
| Template:CHT 968X doesn't exist! | ||||
| KMB | B1 | Tin Tsz | Lok Ma Chau Station | Service daily, via Yuen Long Town, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Lok Ma Chau Station | Tin Tsz | |||
| KMB | B9 | Tuen Mun Station | Heung Yuen Wai Control Point | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays during daytime after Morning Peak Hours, Saturdays and holidays whole-day, also passes through a section from Shap Pat Heung Interchange to Tuen Mun Road ● |
| Heung Yuen Wai Control Point | Tuen Mun Station | Inbound service Mondays to Fridays after Morning Peak Hours, Saturdays and holidays whole-day, also passes through a section from Shap Pat Heung Interchange to Tuen Mun Road ● | ||
| LWB | E36P | Sheung Tsuen | SKYCITY Bus Terminus | Outbound service Mondays to Saturdays during early morning, via Tai Lam Tunnel ● |
| SKYCITY Bus Terminus | Sheung Tsuen | Inbound service Mondays to Saturdays during Afternoon Peak Hours, via Tai Lam Tunnel ● | ||
| LWB | E36S | Yuen Long (Ma Wang Road) | Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Outbound service Mondays to Saturdays during Morning Peak Hours, Via Tai Lam Tunnel ● |
| Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Yuen Long (Ma Wang Road) | Inbound service Mondays to Saturdays during Afternoon Peak Hours, Via Tai Lam Tunnel ● | ||
| Template:CHT P968 doesn't exist! | ||||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Tsing Long Highway to Shap Pat Heung Interchange | ||||
| KMB | 268C Special Trips |
Silver Field Garden | Kwun Tong Ferry (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Fridays during Morning Peak Hours, one-way northbound ● |
| KMB | 968 Special Trips |
Yuen Long Park | Causeway Bay (Tin Hau) (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Saturdays during Morning Peak Hours, one-way northbound ● |
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Shap Pat Heung Interchange to Long Tin Road | ||||
| LWB | E36A | Tung Chung (Yat Tung Estate) | Yuen Long (Tak Yip Street) | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays whole-day, Saturdays and holidays during morning to nighttime, via Tuen Mun Town Centre and Tin Yiu Estate, also passes through a section from Hung Tin Road to Tuen Mun Road ● |
| Yuen Long (Tak Yip Street) | Tung Chung (Yat Tung Estate) | Inbound service daily, via Tuen Mun Town Centre and Tin Yiu Estate, also passes through a section from Hung Tin Road to Tuen Mun Road ● | ||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Shap Pat Heung Interchange to Tuen Mun Road | ||||
| KMB | B9 | Tuen Mun Station | Heung Yuen Wai Control Point | Outbound service Mondays to Fridays during daytime after Morning Peak Hours, Saturdays and holidays whole-day, also passes through a section from Tsing Long Highway to Pok Oi Interchange ● |
| Heung Yuen Wai Control Point | Tuen Mun Station | Inbound service Mondays to Fridays after Morning Peak Hours, Saturdays and holidays whole-day, also passes through a section from Tsing Long Highway to Pok Oi Interchange ● | ||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Long Tin Road to Tuen Mun Road | ||||
| LWB | A36 | Kam Sheung Road Station | Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Kam Sheung Road Station | |||
| LWB | E36 | Pat Heung Road | Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Pat Heung Road | |||
| LWB | E37 | Tin Shui Wai Town Centre | Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Airport (Ground Transportation Centre) | Tin Shui Wai Town Centre | |||
| LWB | NA36 | Kam Sheung Road Station | Cathay Pacific City | Outbound service daily during early morning, via Tuen Mun Central ● |
| Cathay Pacific City | Kam Sheung Road Station | Inbound service daily overnight, via Tuen Mun Central ● | ||
Green minibuses (GMBs)[]
| List of Green Minibus (GMB) Routes observing Yuen Long Highway | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Route No. | Origin | Destination | Service Type |
| The following routes pass through the whole of Yuen Long Highway | ||||
| Express Top Industries | 44 | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | Sheung Shui Station | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Sheung Shui Station | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | |||
| Express Top Industries | 44B1 | Lok Ma Chau | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | Lok Ma Chau | |||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Tsing Long Highway to Lam Tei Interchange | ||||
| Express Top Industries | 44A | Tuen Mun Station | Sheung Shui Station | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Sheung Shui Station | Tuen Mun Station | |||
| Express Top Industries | 44A1 | Po Tin | Sheung Shui Station (One-way) |
Service Mondays to Saturdays daytime, one-way northbound ● |
| Express Top Industries | 44B | Lok Ma Chau Interchange | Tuen Mun Station | Service daily, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Tuen Mun Station | Lok Ma Chau Interchange | |||
| Express Top Industries | 44B | Lok Ma Chau Control Point | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | Service daily overnight, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | Lok Ma Chau Control Point | |||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Hung Tin Road to Lam Tei Interchange | ||||
| Template:NTGMB 610S doesn't exist! | ||||
| The following routes pass through a section of Yuen Long Highway from Tsing Long Highway to Lam Tei Interchange | ||||
| Choi Kee (Yuen Long) | 36 Special Trips |
Yuen Long (Fook Hong Street) | Tai Sang Wai | Service daily during nighttime, via San Tin Highway, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Tai Sang Wai | Yuen Long (Fook Hong Street) | |||
| Choi Kee (Yuen Long) | 37 Special Trips |
Yuen Long (Fook Hong Street) | Yau Tam Mei | Service daily during nighttime, via San Tin Highway and Wai Tsai Tsuen, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Yau Tam Mei | Yuen Long (Fook Hong Street) | |||
| Choi Kee (Yuen Long) | 38 Special Trips |
Yuen Long (Fook Hong Street) | Yau Tam Mei (West) | Service daily during nighttime, via San Tin Highway and Sheung Chuk Yuen, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Yau Tam Mei (West) | Yuen Long (Fook Hong Street) | |||
| Luxe Form Investment | 79S | Grandeur Terrace | Lok Ma Chau Control Point | Service daily overnight, observes this stop in both directions ● |
| Lok Ma Chau Control Point | Grandeur Terrace | |||
Remarks[]
- ↑ Everyday after 18:45, Hong Kong Island-bound trips depart from Tin Yan Estate and passes through Tin Shui Wai North.
Related Articles[]
References[]
- ↑ Yuen Long Highway was once subsumed under Route 2 and was renamed as part of Route 9 (New Territories Circular Road) after the Government re-numbered the strategic routes in early 2004.
- ↑ New traffic arrangements in Yuen Long, Hong Kong Government Press Release, 22 June 1998
- ↑ Pok Oi Flyover to be opened to traffic on Friday, Hong Kong Government Press Release, 3 February 1999
- ↑ 新界西北地區的交通改善及應變措施 (Traffic Improvement and Contingency Measures in Northwest New Territories), Information paper provided by the Administration on traffic and transport arrangements for the commissioning of the Shenzhen Bay Port CB(1)2073/06-07(01), 27 April 2007
- ↑ LCQ9: Traffic situation in Yuen Long, 18 October 2017
External Links[]
- Highways Department Official Website: Roads in the New Territories
- Hong Kong Government Press Release: Widening of a Yuen Long Highway section commenced, 18 July 2003.
- Hong Kong Government Press Release: Remember the numbers and make driving easier, 3 June 2004.
Template:Hong Kong Strategic Routes