Waterloo Road, Hong Kong

Waterloo Road is one of the principal north-south thoroughfares[1] of Kowloon, Hong Kong. It stretches from Yau Ma Tei to Kowloon Tong.

Waterloo Road
Waterloo Road in Kowloon Tong, with Lion Rock in the background
Native name窩打老道  (Chinese)
Part of Route 1
NamesakeBattle of Waterloo
Length4.8 km (3.0 mi)
South endPrincess Margaret Road
North endLion Rock Tunnel
Construction
InaugurationEarly 20th century
Waterloo Road, Hong Kong
Chinese窩打老道
Jyutpingwo1 daa2 lou5 dou6
Waterloo Road near Yau Ma Tei.
Waterloo Road near Kowloon Tong, facing Kowloon

Location

The road starts in the west at the intersection with Lai Cheung Road and Ferry Street, and runs east past Nathan Road.[1] It then runs on a northeast-southwest alignment through the eastern part of Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok until the intersection with Princess Margaret Road. The road then takes another turn and runs north through Kowloon Tong, leading towards the Lion Rock Tunnel.

History

Waterloo Road was named to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo. It was laid out in the early 20th century.[1] The stretch of the road through Kowloon Tong was built in 1922 as part of the plans to develop the area. This portion of the road was designated as part of Hong Kong's Route 1 in 1974, and is the only part of Route 1 which features several intersections without grade separation.

Features

Kwong Wah Hospital, Wah Yan College, Kowloon, Maryknoll Convent School and True Light Girls' College are located on Waterloo Road in Yau Ma Tei.[1] The wholesale Fruit Market and the Yaumati Theatre are located at the road's junction with Reclamation Street in Yau Ma Tei. Universal Models Limited is also situated on the Mong Kok section.

The road intersects Argyle Street, a major street in Kowloon. Danger Flag Hill is a landmark located near the road.

The Yau Ma Tei Station of MTR was initially named Waterloo Station as it is at the junction of Waterloo Road and Nathan Road.

Literature

Waterloo Road features in the book Kowloon Tong: A Novel of Hong Kong by Paul Theroux.[2]

See also

References
  1. Wordie, Jason (2007). "Waterloo Road". Streets: Exploring Kowloon. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-9622098138.
  2. Theroux, Paul (1998). Kowloon Tong: A Novel of Hong Kong. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0547525884.
Preceded by
Princess Margaret Road		 Hong Kong Route 1

Waterloo Road		 Succeeded by
Lion Rock Tunnel Road
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