Taipei’s Zhongxiao W Road was reopened to traffic yesterday morning after work to tear down an overpass to the Zhongxiao Bridge (忠孝橋) was completed ahead of schedule.
However, authorities advised commuters to depart at least 20 minutes earlier or to use public transportation if they are required to pass through the area on their way to work tomorrow morning.
Taipei Department of Transportation Commissioner Chung Hui-yu (鍾慧諭), Public Works Department Director Peng Chen-sheng (彭振聲), Traffic Division head Wu Yao-nan (吳耀南) and other officials used a whistle to signal the reopening before traffic resumed at 8am yesterday.
Photo: Tsung Chang-chin, Taipei Times
Peng said a steel structure is to be built by Nov. 30 to fill in a gap in the bridge after the overpass is demolished, but the Public Works Department is in talks with the construction’s contractor to move the completion date to July.
Once the structure is completed, the project is to enter its second phase, in which a bus station used by Kuo-kuang Motor Transportation Co (國光客運) is to be demolished.
As Zhongxiao W Road has been reduced from four lanes to three in each direction, people are advised to use public transportation or use the Jhongsing Bridge (中興橋) or Taipei Bridge (台北橋) when commuting to Taipei from New Taipei City, Chung said.
If traffic congestion extends to 3km, the department is to allow only large vehicles and motorcycles to directly exit from the Zhongxiao Bridge, while cars are to be directed through the Huanhe (環河) gateway, Chuang said, adding that if traffic backs up for 5km, cars are to be directed to the Jhongsing or Taipei bridges.
The department expects traffic in the area to stabilize after a week, she added.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said he was satisfied with the demolition work being completed earlier than planned, adding that while work continues on the city’s west area gateway project, the overpass had accomplished its mission and Taipei’s North Gate (北門) is now once again visible, opening a new page in Taipei’s history.
“Good preparation is the reason the demolition was successful and ended sooner than planned,” Ko said, adding that the result could not have been accomplished without careful planning and precise execution.
He said his administration is following the mantra of “think slowly and act rapidly,” adding that he hopes the government can learn from the success to make the city better.
Additional Reporting by I-chia Lee
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
LEISURE: The new law adds Confucius’ birthday, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou, Constitution Day and Little New Year as national holidays The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed new legislation adding four national holidays and making Workers’ Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party used their combined majority in the legislature to push the jointly proposed draft through its third and final reading. This new law supersedes the existing regulations for the implementation of memorial days and state holidays, which are administered by the Ministry of the Interior. The new law recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou on Oct. 25, Constitution Day on Dec. 25 and “Little New Year,”
RSS