This undated photo taken in October 2020 shows a general view of the South Portal of the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link in Hong Kong. (PHOTO / WWW.HZMB.HK)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong’s major expressway to the airport will see its tolls waived on Dec 27 when the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link (TM-CLKL) Northern Connection opens to traffic, making the link the second highway connecting urban areas to the airport.

Starting around 9 pm on Dec 26, some of the traffic lanes near the Lantau Toll Plaza will be closed for the removal of toll facilities such as toll booths and the modification of traffic signs and road markings, the Transport Department said in a statement on Dec 21.

The road works on the Lantau Link, including the removal of the canopy and road resurfacing, are expected to continue after the implementation of the toll waiver

The road works on the Lantau Link, including the removal of the canopy and road resurfacing, are expected to continue after the implementation of the toll waiver.

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“From 0.00 am on Dec 27, motorists can drive through the Lantau Toll Plaza without stopping and paying tolls. Affected motorists are advised to pay attention to the on-site situation and drive with utmost care and patience,” the department said.

The Lantau Link is a roadway linking Lantau Island via Tsing Ma Bridge to Tsing Yi which is the junction for other roads leading to the urban areas of Kowloon and the rest of the New Territories. The TM-CLKL is expected to relieve the pressure on the highway.

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The 5-km stretch of the 5.5-km TM-CLKL Northern Connection is a subsea road tunnel connecting Tuen Mun South and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port.

The link’s southern connection was opened to traffic in October 2018 and connects the Hong Kong Port and North Lantau on viaducts.

According to the Transport Department, the Lantau Link saw a daily average of 97,427 vehicles in 2019. That number slumped to 52,278 in September with the COVID-19 pandemic raging.

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