Hong Kong private firms walking in the right direction
Connectivity can mean many things for a city. Often, a focus on technology and transport can overlook a very human need for people to get around easily on two feet in urban settings. So, Hong Kong authorities deserve credit for an incentive programme encouraging private firms to build pedestrian links to help make the city a better place to live. The initiative has earmarked 10 pedestrian footbridges and underpasses to improve walkability in bustling, densely populated areas including Kowloon East, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hung Hom, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai. Two projects are set to open next year.
Participating companies are offered waivers on land premiums, the government fees developers must pay to modify land use when the change boosts property value. Revenue from land premiums is a significant source of government income, so the step was not one to take lightly. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho wrote in her blog on May 25 that the government was effectively 'leveraging market forces' by collaborating with the private sector to foster a 'more convenient, connected and high-quality walking environment'.
Launched in 2016, the connectivity initiative's most recently completed project was the Two Queensway Bridge in Admiralty. It opened in late April to connect Pacific Place, Harcourt Garden, Admiralty MTR station, government headquarters and commercial buildings. Causeway Bay will see a project take shape in phases next year, with five footbridges and a sheltered path to divert pedestrians from the busy Yun Ping Road, Hysan Avenue, Pennington Street and Leighton Road. Another footbridge will open in mid-2026 in Kowloon Bay. A footbridge project will also commence next year to link two towers in the Kwun Tong district.
Urban planners in many communities around the world have been criticised for prioritising traffic flows over walkability. Even cities with massive traffic problems, such as Manila, are introducing pedestrian areas that offer a place to escape chaos below. For decades, authorities in Hong Kong have been urged to think further ahead about ensuring pedestrians can move comfortably in high-density zones. The new initiative is a sign that positive change is afoot.
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