Matai'an Creek access road opens to all vehicle types except semi trucks

Taipei, Oct. 12 (CNA) Taiwan's Highway Bureau on Sunday announced that the temporary culvert bridge opened to traffic Friday as an access road across Hualien County's Matai'an Creek is now open to all vehicle types except semi-trailer trucks.

As the new regulation for the culvert bridge went into effect at 12 p.m. Sunday, the bureau announced that the maximum speed over the access road is 30 kilometers per hour.

The temporary bridge was completed on Friday, five days ahead of the initial Oct. 15 projection, to enable easier access to Hualien's Guangfu Township, a community devastated by the overflowing and collapse of the Matai'an Creek barrier lake due to the effects of Typhoon Ragasa in late September.

The overflowing and collapse of the barrier lake caused massive flooding in the area, killing at least 18 people, and also destroyed the Matai'an River Bridge on Provincial Highway 9.

In a Friday press release, the bureau explained that without the bridge, trips to some flood-hit locations increased from 500 meters to as long as 20 kilometers in distance as drivers had to use other roads such as Taiwan's Provincial Highway No. 11A.

In order to improve accessibility to areas devastated by the disaster, the culvert bridge was completed on Friday to serve as an access road replacing the collapsed bridge, enabling small vehicles that have been issued passes to transport resources and emergency response vehicles to quickly enter the devastated communities.

Between Friday and Sunday, the bureau announced that the culvert bridge withstood stress tests from heavy vehicles such as buses.

By cross referencing data collected and the condition of the access road after heavy vehicles passed over it, the bureau said it decided to open the culvert bridge on Sunday to all vehicle types except for semi-trailer trucks, with a speed limit of 30 km/h.

In addition, the bureau said it will roll out amended regulations in accordance with weather conditions released by Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.

Water gauges have also been installed along the access road and areas 2 km upstream, as well as surveillance cameras to better monitor the safe use of the culvert bridge 24/7, the bureau said.

The bureau said the second phase of its plan, involving the erection of a reinforced steel bridge, will start on Wednesday and is expected to be completed by the end of January next year.

During construction or when weather conditions demand, the bureau said it may be necessary to close the access road partially or completely, 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 2026, which will be used for two-way traffic, before completing the southbound section in 2027.