The Highway Bureau yesterday announced that a temporary culvert bridge opened on Friday as an access road across Hualien County’s Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) could accommodate all vehicle types except semitrailer trucks.
The new regulation for the culvert bridge went into effect at noon yesterday. The bureau announced that the maximum speed over the access road is 30kph.
The temporary bridge was completed on Friday, five days ahead of the estimated completion date, to enable easier access to Hualien’s Guangfu Township (光復), which was devastated by the breach of a barrier lake in the Mataian River caused by heavy rains from Super Typhoon Ragasa late last month. The collapse of the barrier lake caused massive flooding in the area, killing at least 18 people, and also destroyed the Mataian Bridge on Provincial Highway 9.
Photo: CNA
The bureau on Friday said that without the bridge, trips to some flood-affected areas increased from 500m to 20km.
To improve access to flood-stricken areas, the culvert bridge was built to replace the Highway 9 bridge that was swept away, enabling small vehicles that have been issued passes to transport resources and response vehicles to more easily enter the devastated communities.
Between Friday and yesterday, the bureau announced that the culvert bridge withstood stress tests from heavy vehicles such as buses.
By analyzing data collected and monitoring the condition of the access road after heavy vehicles passed over it, the bureau said it decided to open the culvert bridge yesterday to all vehicle types except for semitrailer trucks, with a speed limit of 30kph.
The bureau said it would release amended regulations in accordance with weather conditions released by the Central Weather Administration.
Water gauges have been installed along the access road and areas 2km upstream, with surveillance cameras installed to monitor the safe use of the culvert bridge around the clock, the bureau said.
It said the second phase of its plan, involving the construction of a reinforced steel bridge, would begin Wednesday and is expected to be completed by the end of January next year.
It might be necessary to close the access road partially or completely if construction or weather conditions demand, it said, warning users to abide by the new regulations.
The bureau added that it plans to complete the northbound section of a permanent bridge by the end of next year, to allow for two-way traffic, before completing the southbound section in 2027.
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