The Kinmen Bridge, which connects the Kinmen and Lieyu islands, will open to traffic on Oct. 30, the date designated by Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kuo-tsai (王國財), the Freeway Bureau said Wednesday.
The final inspection of the bridge was carried out Monday, and the relevant improvements can be completed by Friday, the bureau said, adding that the Kinmen County Government was informed about the inspection and the review findings on Tuesday.
The inspection covered areas such as road drainage, traffic engineering, traffic control systems, and lighting, the Freeway Bureau said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Wang was briefed Tuesday by the bureau and other relevant government agencies about the latest developments, and he gave a directive for the bridge to be opened to traffic on Oct. 30, following the completion of the improvements on Friday, according to the statement.
The 4.8-kilometer Kinmen Bridge, Taiwan’s first cross-sea bridge, stretches west to east from Houtou in Lieyu Township to Cihu in Jinning Township.
The construction project, which was approved by the Cabinet in 2010 and launched in 2012, had been plagued by problems such as inexperienced contractors and construction crews, which resulted in the contracts being terminated twice, according to the bureau.
In 2016, a new contract was awarded, and construction work resumed in December that year, the bureau said.
Meanwhile, the Kinmen County Government said Wednesday that the route of the 2023 Kinmen Marathon will be revised to run across the new bridge from Kinmen Island to Lieyu Township.
Registration will open Nov. 11 for the marathon, which is scheduled to be held Feb. 11 and 12 next year, according to the Chinese Taipei Road Running Association, the main organizer.
The event will comprise a 42.195-km full marathon, a 21.0975-km half marathon, and a 10-km run.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel