East Coast Boardwalk's eastern section set for completion by year-end, promising a 13 km continuous harborfront

The eastern section of the East Coast Boardwalk in North Point is anticipated to be completed in the second half of this year, as announced by Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho. 

This update follows the successful opening of the boardwalk's western section, which connects the East Coast Park Precinct and the North Point Promenade, on January 26.

Spanning a total of 2.2 kilometers, the boardwalk is being developed in two phases, with Linn sharing insights from senior engineer of the Civil Engineering and Development Department, Terence Yeung Sze-cheung, in her recent blog post. 

The western section, measuring 1.1 kilometers, has already opened to the public and includes 700 meters linking the East Coast Park Precinct to North Point Promenade, with an additional 400 meters enhancing the promenade itself.

“The remaining part of the boardwalk -- the eastern section connecting North Point and Quarry Bay -- is set to open gradually in the second half of this year,” Linn said. 

Once fully operational, the boardwalk will provide a continuous harborfront of about 13 kilometers, stretching from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan.

Chairman of the Harbourfront Commission, Ivan Ho Man-yiu, said that the boardwalk's shared path will offer a versatile space for various activities, including running, cycling, and walking pets. 

Linn added that the East Coast Boardwalk will serve as a perfect spot for citizens to unwind, connect with the waterfront, appreciate the scenic harborfront, and unleash their creativity.

According to CEDD engineer Andrew Huang Pang-yen, the construction posed significant challenges due to its location in a densely populated urban area. 

The engineering team innovatively constructed much of the boardwalk beneath the Island Eastern Corridor.

“The boardwalk had to be built under the Island Eastern Corridor, which experiences heavy traffic and comes with height restrictions. We had a tight deadline to complete the construction within three to four years without disrupting traffic,” Linn said.

Weighing over 25,000 tonnes -- equivalent to 450 C919 flights -- constructing the boardwalk was particularly challenging due to limited land transportation. 

However, Huang said that the engineering team successfully navigated these obstacles by utilizing space under the Island Eastern Corridor and manufacturing components in the mainland, ultimately saving time and costs.

(Henry Siu)