2-way traffic restored after manmade sinkhole on Taipei road repaired

Taipei, Feb. 25 (CNA) Two-way traffic has been restored to a section of road in Taipei's Songshan District after a manmade sinkhole caused by nearby construction was filled in on Sunday, according to Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川).

On Friday, a 2-3 meter section of the road, located at the intersection of Qingcheng Street and Changchun Road, collapsed, causing damage to several cars.

City investigators later determined that the hole had been caused by nearby construction work being done by Continental Engineering Corp.

Feb. 24: Section of Taipei road sinks, tilting 4 cars

After inspecting the repaired site, Lee told the press that the hole had been refilled inside and outside, with no sign of further collapse.

The road will also be repaved Sunday night when there is less traffic, and is expected to return to normal by Monday rush hour, Lee added.

The construction company has been fined NT$180,000 (US$5,693) and ordered to suspend the construction work.

Lee said that the company will also be required to have plans for resuming construction work reviewed for safety.

The city government will also monitor the construction and halt work in the event of any irregularities, Lee added.

Responding to press concerns about the frequency of road collapses in Taipei -- Friday's was the seventh since Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) took office in December 2022 -- Lee said the city was prone to such incidents as the need to demolish older buildings for urban renewal projects.

However, the city government will require construction companies to "work more cautiously," Lee said, adding that the city government would commission professional associations to monitor construction, something which it previously did not do.