Danjiang Bridge Opens: Shorter Commutes Ahead for New Taipei

REPORTER:  

This construction work has been going on for years. But soon, the new Danjiang Bridge will open, and nearby residents can’t wait.

I work nearby, and the traffic here is really bad.  

To get in, you have to go through the Tamsui area and cross the Guandu Bridge and congestion there is severe.  

The accident rate is also very high.  

Whether you’re driving a scooter or car it takes a long time.

REPORTER:  

Mr Wu is one of tens of thousands of New Taipei commuters who regularly get stuck at a notorious traffic bottleneck further up the Danshui river – the Guandu Bridge. During peak hours, traffic slows to a crawl.

If you’re travelling via Guangdu bridge, along Nongmin Road the traffic is terrible, it is always really heavy.  

Sometimes during the evening rush hour the line of cars stretches all the way from Sacred Heart High School to the Chenglu Bridge in Luzhou.

REPORTER:  

Danjiang will be the largest bridge of its type on the planet—one of the last projects of late renowned Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, designed asymmetrically so its lone 70-storey-tall concrete pylon – placed on its eastern side – doesn't obscure sunsets.

All while linking communities separated for centuries by brackish water.

The Danjiang Bridge has four traffic lanes, dedicated bike and pedestrian paths, and space for a future light-rail line — linking Bali directly to Taipei’s metro system.

So what does that mean?

Well if you live just over there (points to Bali) this roughly one-kilometer span cuts about 15 kilometers off the journey if your headed in to Taipei — saving about (shakes hand) 25 minutes each way.

REPORTER:  

The daily challenge of traveling between Danshui and Bali is all too familiar to the people building this bridge. But once it’s done, they say traffic will be smoother.

Based on our experience working here it takes about 40 minutes [to get from here to Danshui].  

In other words, once the bridge opens it'll save 25 to 40 minutes of travel time.  

This will definitely improve transportation flow from Tamsui to Bali, making tourism much more convenient in the future.

Over the last few decades, Taiwan has seen a wave of architectural accomplishments. But it’s often not the skyscrapers, museums, theaters, or airports that change people’s daily lives. It’s projects like this one — something people use every day, that truly connects communities.

And while Danjiang Bridge is a practical addition to the cityscape, local residents say it’s an aesthetic one as well.

Besides making daily life more convenient, it will also make tourism easier.  

And as for the bridge itself, I think it’s very well built, very beautiful.  

An impressive piece of construction.

REPORTER:  

Transportation authorities say the bridge is on track to open on May 12. The end of its construction — the beginning of a new chapter for local commuters.

Andy Hsueh and Bryn Thomas for TaiwanPlus.