Johnston Road
Johnston Road (traditional Chinese: 莊士敦道; simplified Chinese: 庄士敦道; pinyin: Zhuāngshìdūn Dào; Cantonese Yale: jong1 si6 deun1 dou6) is a major road in Wan Chai on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong.
Location
Johnston Road spans from the junction with Heard Street, Hennessy Road and Stewart Road are at its east towards another junction with Hennessy Road and Queensway at its west near Asian House. It is shaped like a bow with the string being Hennessy Road and the Caltex gas station, Southorn Playground and Methodist House in between.
History
The road was named after Alexander Robert Johnston, the British Deputy Superintendent of Trade during the First Opium War. He was the government administrator even before Sir Henry Pottinger was appointed the first Hong Kong governor in 1842.[1] The story that the street was named after Sir Reginald Johnston was actually a myth.[1]
The road is built on the margin of the oldest building cluster in Wan Chai. Many Hong Kong residents are trying to preserve the old buildings and trees from redevelopment. The century-old transport Hong Kong Tramways goes through the road with its first service opening in 1904.[1]
Although the road was named in 1920s, part of the road can be traced back to 1851 or earlier when the area was known as Praya East. The section from Spring Garden Lane to Wan Chai Road was known as Strand Road, for its proximity to the waterfront.
Intersections
The entire route is in Wan Chai, Wan Chai District.
km[2] | mi | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.00– 0.05 | 0.00– 0.031 | Hennessy Road | To/from westbound Hennessy Road | ||
0.04 | 0.025 | Mallory Street | Access from Mallory Street to westbound Johnston Road only | ||
0.09 | 0.056 | Burrows Street | |||
0.13– 0.16 | 0.081– 0.099 | Thompson Road | |||
0.25 | 0.16 | Fleming Road / Wan Chai Road | |||
0.30 | 0.19 | Triangle Street | |||
0.35 | 0.22 | Tai Wo Street | |||
0.39 | 0.24 | Stone Nullah Lane | |||
0.40 | 0.25 | O'Brien Road | |||
0.44 | 0.27 | Tai Yuen Street | |||
0.47 | 0.29 | Spring Garden Lane | |||
0.53 | 0.33 | Amoy Street | |||
0.56 | 0.35 | Swatow Street | Westbound only | ||
0.60 | 0.37 | Luard Road | |||
0.64 | 0.40 | Ship Street | |||
0.69 | 0.43 | Lun Fat Street | |||
0.75 | 0.47 | Gresson Street | |||
0.80 | 0.50 | Li Chit Street | Closed to traffic | ||
0.84 | 0.52 | Landale Street | Access from Landale Street to westbound Johnston Road only | ||
0.87 | 0.54 | Hennessy Road | To/from westbound Hennessy Road | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
Transport
The faster transport MTR is located near the road with some exits of Wan Chai Station nearby.
In popular culture
This road and its junction with Wan Chai Road was a Pit Stop in the eleventh leg of the reality TV show The Amazing Race 30.
See also
- List of streets and roads in Hong Kong
- Queen's Road East, for a list of lanes connecting Johnston Road and Queen's Road East
References
- Wordie, Jason (2002). Streets: Exploring Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 962-209-563-1.
- OpenStreetMap contributors. Johnston Road (Map). OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 23 March 2016.