TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A newly rebuilt bridge on the Southern Cross-Island Highway is set to open to traffic Wednesday, restoring a mountain route in Kaohsiung that had been cut off by storm damage.
CNA reported Tuesday that the new Uavaha Bridge replaces a washed-out section of the Mingbaklu Bridge that was destroyed by Typhoon Lupit in 2021. The nearly NT$500 million (US$15.6 million) project reconnects surviving bridge sections to restore access to the area.
Officials said the bridge sits at the junction of three rivers, where unstable geology and severe erosion followed Typhoon Morakot, according to UDN. Engineers raised the bridge deck, widened the spans, and adopted a three-span continuous beam design to better withstand flooding.
The Highway Bureau’s Southern Region Branch Jiasian Section said builders used cantilever construction and worked around about 10 typhoons to finish the project on schedule, per Yahoo News. The bridge measures 280 meters in length and 8.5 meters in width.
Officials said the road is the only outside link for three villages above Fuxing in Taoyuan District, making it a critical lifeline for residents. They added that the reopening is a temporary measure and cannot fully address long-term geological risks, CTS reported.
Officials said the bridge was named “Uavaha,” meaning “a place where deer gather” in the Bunun language, reflecting local culture and ecology. The name was approved after discussions with tribal communities and local authorities.
