Lawmakers Push for Mainland-Developed Road Material to Fix Hong Kong's Pothole Crisis
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Legislative Council member and former Director of Civil Engineering Office Puk Kwok-ming is advocating for the widespread adoption of a mainland-developed high-performance ultra-thin wearing course to address Hong Kong's chronic road deterioration problems. The Highways Department is currently testing the material on Lung Cheung Road. Despite costing several times more than traditional asphalt, Puk contends the investment is justified by the product's durability of 6-7 years and rapid installation process that minimizes traffic disruption.
Key Points
- Puk Kwok-ming, a veteran engineer and former head of the Civil Engineering Office, has recommended broad deployment of the new material after observing its successful application on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge since 2018 .
- The ultra-thin wearing course is only 20mm thick compared to traditional asphalt's 100mm total (40mm surface layer plus 60mm base layer), allowing completion within hours and immediate road reopening .
- While traditional asphalt requires re-paving every 2-3 years under heavy vehicle traffic and rainfall, the new material maintains integrity for 6-7 years, reducing long-term maintenance frequency and costs .
- Concrete roads, though durable for 10-20 years theoretically, develop cracks and uneven surfaces because quick-dry concrete used for repairs creates color mismatches and height variations at joints .
- According to the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Highways Department maintains approximately 2,239 km of roads with annual expenditures of HK$1.73 billion in 2023 .
Why It Matters
Hong Kong, as an international financial center, risks reputational damage when road surfaces appear dilapidated with patches of varying colors and uneven joints. Beyond aesthetics, the material's noise reduction of approximately 4 decibels could eliminate the need for costly sound barriers along newly constructed roads, while its superior friction coefficient makes it suitable for testing on Hong Kong Island's steep slopes as a replacement for easily damaged anti-slip steel grit .
Hong Kong, as an international financial center, risks reputational damage when road surfaces appear dilapidated with patches of varying colors and uneven joints. Beyond aesthetics, the material's noise reduction of approximately 4 decibels could eliminate the need for costly sound barriers along newly constructed roads, while its superior friction coefficient makes it suitable for testing on Hong Kong Island's steep slopes as a replacement for easily damaged anti-slip steel grit .