The slope of the Suhua Highway collapsed and was interrupted. Su Xianzhi, the planning team leader of the General Administration of Highways, said that the Suhuaan project is being promoted, and the target is to open to traffic in 2032.

(Photo by reporter Zheng Weiqi)

[Reporter Zheng Weiqi/Taipei Report] The slope collapsed at 11:55 p.m. yesterday on the Suhua Highway of Taiwan’s 9th Line, causing the middle section of the Suhua Highway. According to the planning of the General Administration of Highways, this accident section will be included in the future Suhua Highway safety improvement plan. A 9.7-kilometer-long tunnel section that keeps the road uninterrupted.

At present, the Suhuaan Project is undergoing comprehensive planning work, and it has been reported to the Ministry of Communications. The environmental impact assessment work is in progress according to the procedures. It is expected to be submitted for review by the end of this year. If all goes well, it can be completed and opened to traffic in 2032 at the earliest.

Su Xianzhi, planning team leader of the General Administration of Highways of the Ministry of Communications, said that because the Suhua'an section passes through Taroko National Park, the environmental impact assessment work needs to be investigated and reviewed throughout the year according to the procedures. It is expected to be completed by the end of this year and submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency for review.

If the EIA work is successfully completed in the future, construction plans will be proposed and reported to the Executive Yuan. The target is to start contracting in 2026. The construction period will take 6 years and 6 months. If everything goes well, it can be completed and opened to traffic in 2032.

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The Suhua Road Corridor between Suao and Hualien, the completed Suhua section includes Suao-Dong'ao, Nan'ao-Heping, Hezhong-Daqingshui; but Dong'ao-Nan'ao, Heping-Hezhong, and Heren - Section 3 of Chongde Road still needs to run on the old Suhua Highway, and there are still warning closures and even interruptions due to disasters in severe weather. The bridge will mainly pull the new route for these three sections.

Prophet Su pointed out that the planned route of Su Hua’an is about 25.4 kilometers in length. The disaster section is located in the middle of the Heren-Chongde improvement section. A new line will be drawn from the north side of the Renshui Tunnel to the north side of the Taroko Bridge, with a total length of 14.3 kilometers. It is also planned to set up a service area in Chongde; there will be a 9.7-kilometer tunnel section, which will become the second longest tunnel in the Suhua Road Corridor after completion, second only to the 12.6-kilometer Guanyin Gufeng Tunnel in the Suhua Reform.

In the future, after Suhuaan is completed, the Suhua section will be connected in series, making it safer for Suao to and from Hualien. The tunnel section will never be interrupted, ensuring a safe road for people in the east.