Smart motorway test to temporarily close Ting Kau Bridge fast lane on Sat

Transport Department officials will conduct a smart motorway operational test on the southbound lanes of Ting Kau Bridge toward Tsing Yi tomorrow, requiring a 15-minute closure of the fast lane at noon.

During the trial, the hard shoulder will be opened to traffic for the first time, while the speed limit on the affected section will be reduced to 50 km/h.

The test aims to assess whether drivers correctly follow traffic signals when using the hard shoulder, with authorities collecting data to refine the smart motorway initiative and develop future strategies.

Since the pilot scheme’s launch last December, the AI-powered system has automatically detected traffic incidents and alerted control center staff at the Tsing Ma Control Area, significantly improving response times.

As of last month, the system identified 16 incidents—11 of which were detected within just 10 seconds—reducing accident recognition time by nearly 90 percent and helping alleviate congestion, according to the department.