EPA press release on WTC cleaning hotline launch, June 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

R ■' I ! ■ ! t'. I 1 I ' k' 1 ■ 1 : I . i A ■. d 'E

Air-rail links are becoming a central amenity for leading global airports. Currently, the gold standard of a successful airport access system is the Hong Kong Airport Railway, which provides 'direct sendee to Ae airport and has stimulated significant economic development in the areas near the rail stations.

The Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok airport was opened in 1996, and is largely built on filled land. The Hong Kong Government made the strategic decision that more than 50% of all passenger trips to the airport should be made by rail. Direct rail access to the airport opened in 1998 and was built by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation ("MTRC"), an autonomous body wholly owned by the government of Hong Kong.^” The Hong Kong Airport Railway is comprised of two types of rail access services. First, a dedicated high-speed rail service, the Airport Express Line (“AEL”), provides efficient and convenient access to the downtown business districts of Kowloon, and Ce.ntra.l Ho.ng Kong. Second, there is a regular rail rapid transit line (the Lantau line) that i.s a part of die citywide metro network and connects to other lines and transfer pointe. It is expected that 250,000 passengers will use the rail access system to the new airport per day.

The Airport Express Line was designed to create the feeling that arriving at an AEL station is tantamount to arriving at Chep Lap Kok. Attractive features of the stations include high quality finishes, use of natural lighting, flight information displays, advance baggage check-in, and food service. The travel time to die air­ port from Central Hong Kong is 23 minutes, and passengers experience a business class environment.

The construction of tlie .Airport Express Line spurred significant development of apartments, hotels and commercial buildings on the property surrounding the stations. Much of this development occurred on for­ merly vacant land or landfill, which became, valuable due to its linkage to the Airport Express Line. The MTRC purchased from the government ownership of sites above station depots and associated transport interchanges. The MTRC then developed the sites as joint ventures with private developers and its share of file profits was used to partially finance the railway. Property development on AEL-Iinked sires includes 24.8 million square feet of residential development, 6.6 million square feet of commercial space, 3.6 million square feet of retail space and 3.1 million square feet of hotel space and serviced apartments.*^’

*'*The MRTC was privatized in June 2000 and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

*” Alistair j. Budge Reid./a/xiw RaUway anti Trans/iert Review 19: 40,

H) l.uwer .Manbatiim. rraiisv ■pVi Stl'.ucgtcs Intt’odo.i, tion

NYC-WTC_000143066