The Cidu (七堵) section of the Formosa Freeway (National Freeway No. 3) is scheduled to open today for traffic after a deadly landslide claimed the lives of four people in April.
The National Freeway Bureau said it would open two northbound and two southbound lanes for traffic at 1pm today. It asked the motorists to observe the speed limit of 60kph because there are still constructions on the roadside.
BAN
Motorists operating large trucks or 18 wheelers are banned from driving through the section, however, the bureau said.
The bureau closed the section between the Sijhih Interchange and Keelung on the National Freeway No. 3 after a landslide occurred at the 3.1km (3K+100) landmark on April 25.
The landslide killed four people, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is helping their families seek national compensation.
Earlier last month, the bureau managed to open access to the 2km-long section between the Madong Interchange and Keelung. The section between the Sijhih and Madong remained closed.
The ministry, on the other hand, entrusted a task force to investigate the cause of the landslide and inspect the 32 dip slopes along the Formosa Freeway.
ASSESSMENT
The task force was also assigned to help assess the road damage caused by the landslide so that the bureau could determine when it could reopen the Cidu section.
It is expected to submit the full results of its investigation to the ministry soon.
The bureau originally aimed to have one northbound and one southbound lane open for traffic on Tuesday last week, but decided to postpone it on the advice of civil engineering experts serving on the task force.
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