The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is planning a speedy review of 50 of the country’s most dangerous bridges to find the most suitable technology and construction methods for repairing them after Typhoon Morakot drastically changed the environment surrounding the bridges.
In some cases, rivers have widened from 20m to as much as 500m, Department of Railways and Highways director Chi Wen-jong (祁文中) said.
Chi said that since conventional construction methods do not prioritize fortifying bridges against the effects of torrential rains and flooding, the ministry was preparing enhanced construction standards to protect more vulnerable bridges.
The ministry is scheduled to report to the Council of Economic Planning and Development today on how it plans to restore transportation infrastructure damaged by the typhoon, an effort that is estimated will cost approximately NT$31 billion (US$943.5 million), he said.
Chi said Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) has asked the department to prioritize projects by dividing infrastructure in need of repair into three categories.
Type A refers to highways that can be rebuilt in their current location.
Type B includes highways that must be rebuilt along a new alignment, while Type C projects include roads that need minimal restoration to provide for the needs of small numbers of residents living along their route.
“For Type A projects, the minister instructed the department to identify some projects that will serve as models for reconstruction, such as Shuangyuan Bridge [雙園大橋] in Kaohsiung,” Chi said.
“The minister has urged the department to use more advanced methods to restore these facilities, and hopefully the time needed to complete the construction work can be shortened as well,” he added.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
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