TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Transport Minister Chen Shi-kai (陳世凱) said New Taipei’s Tamkang Bridge will become a landmark tourist attraction as the project neared 80% completion on Wednesday.

Chen inspected the construction of the bridge that will cross the Tamsui River to connect Bali and Tamsui District, per CNA. He said the project was one of Taiwan’s most important public works.

Chen suggested the bridge could emulate the Golden Gate or Sydney Harbor Bridges on New Year's Eve with firework displays that could attract up to 20,000 tourists. He said a visitor center will be built at the site to accommodate an expected 25,000 tourists daily by 2041.

The city expects to complete building the bridge next year and plans to open it to traffic in 2026. It will accommodate personal vehicles, light rail, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Highway Bureau Engineer Chien Pao-chung (簡報中) said the bridge will be the world’s largest single-tower cable-stayed bridge. The central tower will rise 200 meters high with a planned lifespan of 120 years.

The bridge was designed by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. Hadid also designed Guangzhou Opera House, the London Aquatics Center, and many other landmark structures.

Work on the bridge began in 2019 with a budget of NT$23.038 billion (US$708.67 million) after multiple failed attempts to break ground. Planners said the bridge will reduce travel time between Bali and Tamsui by 25 minutes and traffic on existing routes by up to 30%.