TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Yilan County’s newly rebuilt Nanfang’ao Bridge will be inaugurated on Sunday (Dec. 18), three years after the collapse that killed six and injured 12.

Su’ao Township Mayor Lee Ming-che (李明哲) on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 13) made the announcement on Facebook, writing that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) will attend the inauguration ceremony on Sunday morning. He said the construction, which started on July 16, 2020, lasted for over two years and five months.

Lee added that the new bridge is designed to be anti-erosion and earthquake-proof and has an estimated life of 100 years. Aesthetically, the bridge is adorned with mackerel-themed installations to represent the local fishing industry.

The new bridge also has observation decks for pedestrians as well as artistic lights that turn on at night.

Lee called the bridge’s inauguration a symbol of Su’ao’s “rebirth.” He is hopeful that it will bring tourists to the community and stimulate the economy.

Liberty Times reported that the new bridge’s construction cost NT$957 million (US$31.19 million). It measures 796 meters in length and 13 m in width; at its highest point, it is 18 m from sea level.

A model simulating the new Nanfang'ao Bridge at night. (Design, Survey, Geological Investigation and Supervision Services of the Reconstruction Proejct of Nanfang'ao Bridge image)