Expanding Pedestrian Connectivity: Hong Kong Plans to Introduction of 10 Walkways
In Hong Kong, ten pedestrian walkways will be constructed in bustling districts starting next year, as part of an initiative to enhance connectivity throughout the city. The initiative provides land premium waivers to private companies that undertake these projects.
Announcing the approved projects on Sunday, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho stated that the 10 planned projects are situated in densely populated areas, including Kowloon East, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hung Hom, Causeway Bay, and Wan Chai. Two of the walkways are expected to open to the public in 2023, but further details are not available at this time.
According to Linn, this policy represents a successful collaboration between the government and the private sector, allowing them to jointly fund and construct footbridges and underpasses for public use. The Development Bureau will continue to push for more such projects to provide a more connected and high-quality walking environment.
One example of such a project is the Two Queensway Bridge, which was completed in Admiralty and connects Pacific Place to Harcourt Garden. This bridge offers convenient access to the Admiralty MTR station and other nearby facilities such as government buildings and commercial structures. Swire Properties was responsible for the design, construction, management, and maintenance of the facility, which is open to the public 24 hours a day.
The pedestrian connectivity initiative was launched in 2016 and provides land premium waivers for private companies building pedestrian links, like footbridges and underpasses, as a means of promoting greater private sector participation in enhancing the city's walkability.
The announcement of approved pedestrian walkway projects in Asia's world city, Hong Kong, extends beyond bustling districts like Kowloon East, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hung Hom, Causeway Bay, and Wan Chai, also encompassing the arts and lifestyle sector by envisaging connections to home-and-garden attractions such as Harcourt Garden. Swire Properties' Two Queensway Bridge, for instance, not only enhances walkability by linking Pacific Place to the garden but also offers easy access to the MTR station and other amenities, epitomizing the joint efforts between the government and private sector to elevate the city's walkability and environmental quality.
