Hong Kong tests new asphalt on pothole-hit roads
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Complaints about damaged and uneven road surfaces across Hong Kong have intensified, with Lung Cheung Road again singled out as a major trouble spot after a motorcyclist narrowly avoided losing control on September 2. The Highways Department says more frequent heavy rain in recent years has increased road wear, and it has begun wider use of new high-performance asphalt materials, including on sections of Lung Cheung Road from late July
Key Points
- HK01 reported that the Highways Department spent about HK$1.7 billion, HK$1.73 billion and HK$1.66 billion on road and related facility maintenance in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively
- On September 2, a motorcyclist posted dashcam footage showing severe jolting on the fast lane of westbound Lung Cheung Road near the Lion Rock Tunnel slip road
- Lung Cheung Road, opened in stages in the 1960s and 1970s, has long suffered from uneven surfaces, many manhole covers and potholes across different lanes
- Since April 2025, the department has fully adopted high-modified asphalt at suitable locations, and from late July began replacing concrete sections on Lung Cheung Road with an ultra-thin high-performance wearing course
- The new material is said to set in about one hour, faster than ordinary asphalt’s two to three hours, while offering stronger crack resistance and skid resistance
Why It Matters
For drivers, motorcyclists and freight operators, road quality directly affects safety, noise and travel comfort on some of Hong Kong’s busiest corridors. The department’s ability to make faster repairs during wet weather and overnight closures will shape whether repeated complaints about “repair, then fail again” can be reduced