Colonial Highway 8



Colonial Highway 8 (CH8), colloquially as Kong Tin Central Highway (Traditional Chinese: 港天中部通道), formerly as Wanikit Bypass, is a highway in south-central Port Run, linking Wanikit to the proposed Wanikit Control Point. CH8 is the shortest colonial highway in the Royal Watersauga Crown Colony.

It is the only single-digit numbered highway that is proposed to be a freeway-standard colonial highway.

Due to the irredentist claim of Cosmoplay Region on Port Run, Cosmoplay Region claims this proposed roadway as a part of Cosmoplay Regional Highway 2.

History
The current primary road connections between Port Run and Cosmo City in the neighbouring Cosmoplay Region is via Colonial Highways 2 and 4. These two border crossings are now at- or even over-capacity, chronic delays are causing economic losses. This prompted the governments of the two regions to discuss the possibility of improving current border crossing facilities. In addition, a lack of an internal freeway in the Cosmo City Metropolitan Area is also prompting Cosmoplay Region to invest to build the Cosmoplay River Valley Expressway. Cosmoplay Region intended to connect the highway into Port Run, which Cosmoplay poses a claim of.

After discussing with Port Run's officials in March 2013, Port Run has basically agree to help fund and construct the section of the Cosmoplay River Valley Expressway within Port Run's limits, provided that there is a border crossing control point built on the border, and that Port Run remains all rights over construction and maintenance of the section. Both parties have agreed to the conditions, with Cosmoplay Region began constructing the portion of the freeway near the border.

Port Run has officially gazetted the proposed highway in July 2013, and named it temporarily "Colonial Highway 8 (Wanikit By-Pass)", officially named "Southeast Port Run Trunk Road T3" during the course of construction. In January 2014, the Transportation Department has changed the name of the proposed road to "Kong Tin Central Highway". In the same gazette, it has also announced that constructions of the highway would begin in February 2014. The expressway is largely completed by October 2014, and opened to traffic in late November.

Kong Tin Central Highway is also part of the larger Southeast Colonial Highway Project, which also involves upgrading Colonial Highway 7 into a full-fledge expressway bypass around Wanikit, and a similar project for Colonial Highway 2 near the Madawaska Diversion Control Point.

Future Prospects
It has also been planned that Colonial Highway 8 to extend into the future New Town of Hebe Haven South, and completely replace the current function of Colonial Highway 4 south of the new town.

Roadway Design
Port Run section of the colonial highway will be built in accordance to the City of Watersauga's expressway standard. According to initial design blueprints, CH8 will be a six-laned freeway, with a border crossing control just north of the Port Run-Cosmoplay border. There are no exits planned on the expressway, with the sole entry/exit on the expressway being on Colonial Highway 7 at the north end. The following exit will be on the Cosmoplay section.

The construction of the freeway involved demolishing parts of the existing Chung Ying Street to make way for the freeway. Some houses were demolished as well. Port Run authorities have contacted home owners in the area to discuss about compensation.

Controversies
Residents at Wanikit largely oppose the construction, due to the current existing alternatives. Residents do not see the need of building such a large freeway and a border control facility right beside their community/principality.

Elsewhere across Port Run, the new connection is welcomed, since a lack of an expressway connection is causing large cross-boundary travel delays.