Taipei City Government

In supporting Zhongzheng Bridge’s reconstruction and outlining the vision of transforming the capital city, as well as to exhibit the city’s qualities and history, the Zhongzheng Wanhua Revitalization Project will be launched to restore the former luster of the Zhongzheng District and the region along Chongqing South Road. Since the vehicle and pedestrian traffic is approximately 50% less than usual during the Chinese New Year, the New Construction Office of the Public Works Department (NCO) will be demolishing the Zhongzheng Bridge access ramp to Chongqing South Road Viaduct and the Ziqiang Market under the bride at 21:00 on January 23 (the day before Chinese New Year’s Eve). After the bridge is closed to traffic, the AC pavement will be milled, and the streetlights and traffic signals will be removed. Official demolition will commence at 00:00 on January 24 (Chinese New Year’s Eve).

The Zhongzheng Bridge access ramp to Chongqing South Road Viaduct and the Ziqiang Market under the bridge were constructed in 1972. Starting from Heping West Road to the beginning of Zhongzheng Bridge, the Chongqing Viaduct connects to the main bridge that spans across the river in the form of a Viaduct. With a width of 14m and a total length of about 500m, the average width of the road surface on either side is roughly 7-8m, and bus stops have been created along the way. Originally a second-hand home appliance and furniture market, most of the Ziqiang Market’s space under the bridge was been abandoned and fell into disuse due to the changing social-economic development and lifestyle.

According to the NCO, the demolition operation of Chongqing South Road Viaduct is divided into 3 phases. Phase 1 involves the preparation work before demolishing the access ramp during the Chinese New Year. Started on May 6, 2019, the main tasks include the erecting of a construction fence below the bridge, and the removal of existing facilities and structures under the bridge (such as Ziqiang Market, Volunteer Fire Brigade Office, the Fire Brigade, and the community activity center). Most of the work in phase 1 has been completed. Phase 2 involves the demolition of Chongqing South Road Viaduct and access ramp during the upcoming Chinese New Year. The section to be demolished is between Heping West Road and Shuiyuan Expressway, totaling about 500m. Phase 3 involves the demarcation of the provisional road section in preparation for the construction of the permanent road section, which is scheduled for completion before January 28. The permanent road section construction must be implemented in conjunction with the pipelining needs of various pipeline units as well as the construction of surface roads, gutter, and sidewalk. This part of the project is slated for completion before the end of 2021.

The agency added that originally the New Taipei City Transportation Department recommended allowing 2-way traffic for cars and motorcycles between Lane 114 of Xiamen Street and Zhongzheng Bridge, but since the existing width of the road is only 7.4m, and it will decrease to roughly 4.5m due to the operating space needed for the removal of the access ramp’s retaining wall and the bridge pier, the narrow width is insufficient to allow 2-way traffic for cars and motorcycles. Furthermore, in light of public safety and the increased risks for road users, the road section will not be able to accommodate 2-way traffic for cars and motorcycles. Considering road users’ safety and the operating space required by large construction equipment, the NCO has decided to allow 2-way traffic for cars and motorcycles on one side of the road.

Confined by the environmental limitations of the construction site, the demolition operation of Zhongzheng Bridge and Chongqing South Road Viaduct, the existing road section along Section 3 of Chongqing South Road (Heping West Road to Lane 114, Xiamen Street along the Shuiyuan Expressway) will be closed, and detours will be planned:
General vehicles and buses bound for Taipei from New Taipei City will make a right turn into Shuiyuan Expressway from Zhongzheng Bridge in the direction of Shida Road to enter the city. Motorcycles will enter the city via Lane 114, Xiamen Street after exiting the bridge.
General vehicles and buses bound for New Taipei City from Taipei will enter the Shuiyuan Expressway from Quanzhou Street and make a right turn at Zhongzheng Bridge to leave the city. Motorcycles will leave the city by making a left turn at Lane 114, Xiamen Street (2-way traffic on one side of the road).

The revised traffic management plan was reviewed and approved on December 31, 2019, and the construction crew has convened bridge demolition community briefings in Taipei City and New Taipei City as well as a route survey and the review of relevant traffic management plans. Furthermore, the construction vehicles’ access time and the route will be rigorously controlled in order to minimize their impact on existing pedestrian and vehicle routes, as well as to ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the construction area and keep any impact on traffic to the minimum. Road users are urged to avoid the aforementioned road sections and take other alternative bridges instead (such as Yongfu Bridge, Fuhe Bridge, Huazhong Bridge, and Guangfu Bridge, etc.) and to comply with the instructions of the traffic controllers. Thank you for your cooperation.

The traffic management plan will be announced via multiple channels including the official website of the Taipei City Government and New Taipei City Government, PBS, cable television, CMS, Taipei App, traffic safety video, text message, promotional material, and news release. For instance, the traffic safety video has already been uploaded to YouTube, and visits have been paid to various sub-district chiefs in Taipei City and New Taipei City, asking them to assist in the distribution of traffic management plan related promotional materials in order to ensure the most effective promotional efforts in traffic management during the bridge demolition period.