The Suhua Highway (Highway No. 9) improvement project has adopted strict measures to reduce the environmental impact of the renovation work and could serve as a new standard for roadway construction in the nation, the Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) said.
“We have taken many unprecedented measures during construction to protect the environment,” said Wu Ming-en (吳明恩), deputy director of the DGH’s Suhua Improvement Engineering Office.
For example, trains, rather than trucks, are being used to transport gravel for the construction of the Dong-ao Tunnel (東澳隧道) in Yilan County, Wu said, adding that this strategy helps to reduce the load on the geologically fragile Suhua Highway.
A total of 1.05 million square meters of gravel are expected to be transported via railway by the time the tunnel is completed by the end of next year, according to Wu.
He said the tunnel is a component of the project that involves the renovation of three train stations and the training of train conductors.
In addition, the highway project has been under tight supervision by environmental officials regarding noise and waste control, as well as wildlife management, Wu said.
For instance, in adherence to one of the more controversial requirements, work must be suspended whenever the number of indicator birds in certain locations drops to fewer than 97 within two hours of observation, Wu said, adding that this has caused some construction delays.
Experts said such environmental monitoring is crucial because once birds like sparrows and swallows begin to disappear, it means the environment has been badly damaged.
The mechanism is among several that are demanded by the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment committee, which gave the project conditional approval.
The project to reinforce and improve the integrity of the only highway that runs from Suao to Hualien, along the scenic eastern coast of the nation, began in late 2011, seeking to address safety concerns voiced by Hualien residents.
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