The pedestrian subway system at Kwai Fuk Road roundabout will undergo a facelift to usher in sunlight and fresh air, with scented shrubs, flowering trees and a wall featuring artistic designs, the Highways Department says.

The department's acting Senior Engineer Kan Pui-leung told news.gov.hk the existing subway, opened in 1988, is the only grade-separated pedestrian crossing facility at the roundabout.

Trekkers' delight: Highways Department landscape architect Louisa Ngai says the subway system at the Kwai Fuk Road roundabout will be improved and expanded to offer pedestrians a new experience.

Heavily patronised

It has two legs connecting the northern section of Kwai Fuk Road to Container Port Road. Pedestrians from other directions of the roundabout must gain access through the at-grade crossings, which span two traffic lanes, to the public-transport interchange nearby.

With the opening of the Kwai Tsing Threatre in 1999, more and more pedestrians are using the subway and at-grade crossings.

According to a Transport Department survey in March last year, the facilities are heavily patronised, with pedestrian flows from different directions during peak hours ranging from 600 to 4,500 people an hour.

"In view of the high pedestrian traffic, there is a need to improve and expand the subway system to replace the existing at-grade crossings at Kwai Yi Road and Kwai Fuk Road. This will help enhance pedestrian safety and vehicular traffic flow. A portion of the existing subway will also be refurbished," Mr Kan said.

Spacious, airy

To lure pedestrians into using the new subway network, the department's landscape architect Louisa Ngai shared with news.gov.hk ideas to make it more attractive, spacious and airy.

"Before we started working on the landscape design, we visited the site and found Kwai Tsing Theatre nearby, which is in the curvilinear architectural form. Therefore, we have adopted an oval shape for the design of subway entrances and lift towers to complement the existing environment," she added.

The entrances will be done in a silvery grey tone to match the colour scheme of a revitalisation project across from the Kwai Fong MTR station.

Pedestrians may feel confined and insecure when walking inside subways. To provide a more comfortable experience, Miss Ngai said daylight is the key to transforming conventional, enclosed areas into bright, welcoming spaces.

Lush greenery

"The section of subway at the roundabout, where all the legs converge at the centre of the subway network, together with all the entrances, are designed with glass roofs to bring natural daylight into the subway system. Big wall openings will be provided to both sides of the leg located within the roundabout connecting to the Fook Yip Building entrance.

"Through these openings, pedestrians can enjoy sunlight and fresh air. They can also view the lush green landscape at the roundabout, with flowering trees and scented shrubs, such as orange jasmine and white champak," she added.

Noting the subway network is near Kwai Tsing Theatre, Miss Ngai said a feature wall will be introduced to give the network an artistic touch. It will be about six metres high, and have a grid pattern in bold colours such as silver, red and grey.

Artistic touch

"This concept is inspired by the famous Dutch painter Piet Mondrian's work Compositions, which is a series a paintings consisting of rectangular forms of red, yellow, blue and black, separated by thick black rectilinear lines. It intends to bring out a cheerful, lively and energetic impression."

The improvement project involves construction of a pedestrian subway system approximately 245 metres long, demolition of a 70-metre subway, and renovation of a 35-metre subway at Kwai Fuk Road roundabout. Associated road, pump house, drainage and landscape works will also be carried out.

The works, costing about $57 million, will start in mid-2007 for completion in two years.