The reconstruction of the Three Gorges Changfu Bridge in New Taipei City has restarted. New Taipei City Mayor Hou Youyi attended the unveiling ceremony of the reconstruction project today (2nd) and announced that the new bridge was officially opened to traffic. Experience the local indigo dyeing culture and feel the charm of the intertwined waterfront landscape and humanity. The renovated Changfu Bridge not only improves the flood control resilience of the Three Gorges River, but also becomes the fifth pedestrian landscape bridge in New Taipei City, connecting the Three Gorges Old Street, the Three Gorges River and the bicycle path, becoming a new entrance for roaming the Three Gorges.
Hou Youyi said that the new bridge was inspired by the Three Gorges Yuan Mountain. The asymmetric double-arch steel structure design is like an eagle soaring on the river. The scenery of "Yuan Mountain", "Changfu Double Arch" and "Three Gorges Bridge Three Arch" complement each other. In addition, the new bridge is integrated into local culture. There are two scaffoldings on the bridge with indigo dyeing as the background of bird shadows and clouds. The railings are designed in the shape of a mountain. The small stone lions of the old bridge are transformed into characteristic box lights. The two large stone lions in front of the old archway are properly preserved. The bridge deck pavement is further integrated with the flowing water image of the Three Gorges River, and combined with the space design of Water Drop Plaza.
Song Deren, Director of Water Conservancy, said that the Three Gorges River overflowed its banks during typhoons Sula and Sudila. The bottom height of the old bridge was insufficient and the piers were washed out. The Water Conservancy Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs listed it as a priority to rebuild the bridge. The new bridge raised the bottom of the beam and reduced the number of piers from two to one. Together with the retreat of the bridge abutment on the right bank, the water section has been increased by approximately 18% to meet the 100-year flood control standard. At the same time, the width of the bridge deck has been widened from 15 meters to 25 meters, providing a wider space for activities and taking into account flood control safety, traffic and landscape requirements.
Song Deren pointed out that the total funding for the reconstruction of the Changfu Bridge was 919 million yuan, with the Water Resources Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs subsidizing the main bridge 450 million yuan, and the New Taipei City Government raising 469 million yuan itself. Since the 109th plan, it has gone through more than 4 years of preparation, during which 9 local briefings and as many as 26 zoning surveys were held. In 110th, it was consulted and reviewed by the city government's environmental aesthetics general consultant and passed the city government's cultural resources review meeting, gradually resolving doubts and reaching a consensus. After the old bridge was demolished in April 2013, in order to reduce the impact of construction on the surrounding area, the city government not only built a new Sanxia Guoguang Road parking lot, but also built a temporary pedestrian bridge to maintain the operation of the business district and daily traffic.
The Water Conservancy Bureau stated that the new bridge is currently open to pedestrian traffic, and the overall construction progress of the surrounding projects is about 83%. Work will continue to connect the Anxi Road embankment top footpath and waterfront landscape projects.
