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By Amira El-Fekki
Middle East News Reporter
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Taiwan has installed the last section of the Danjiang Bridge, the world's longest of its kind; a single-tower, cable-stayed crossing over the Tamsui River near Taipei.
The final attachment was completed in a ceremony on Tuesday attended by President William Lai Ching-te, who hailed the bridge as a "work of art," according to local media reports.
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Why It Matters
The bridge, also referred to as the Tamshui or Tamkang bridge, connecting Tamsui and Bali, represents a landmark project for the island that aims to improve key infrastructure for regional connectivity, tourism, and sustainable and innovative design.
What To Know
The bridge aims to alleviate congestion on the existing Guandu Bridge, which currently serves as a primary crossing over the Tamsui River and is expected to reduce travel time between Bali and Tamsui, districts popular with tourists, by 25 minutes, according to design firm Zaha Hadid Architects.
The Tamsui River is a major waterway and estuary in northern Taiwan that flows into the Taiwan Strait, the channel separating Taiwan from mainland China.
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The bridge spans a total length of 920 meters, with the main span extending 450 meters to the west of the supporting mast and 175 meters to the east, with a central mast rising 200 meters above the Tamsui River.
The bridge is also the first in the country to have a damper, boosting its earthquake resistance to an intensity of 7, the highest on Taiwan's scale, according to Focus Taiwan, the English-language website of the state news agency.
Construction began in 2019 and faced several delays due to its complex design and construction challenges, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government says the design was chosen to balance scenic views, cultural elements, and environmental considerations, supporting wetland sustainability and positioning it as a northern Taiwan landmark that enhances transportation and boosts the local economy, according to a transport ministry report.
Set to become the world's longest asymmetric, single-mast bridge, the project is estimated to have cost $766 million, according to The Taipei Times, which said that the structure is expected to handle 24,000 to 25,000 visitors during holiday periods.
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What People Are Saying
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said in speech during the ceremony on Tuesday, according to The Taipei Times: "The Danjiang Bridge is a work of art and a world-class project."
Oscar Holland, a producer for CNN Style in Singapore, wrote in January: "It is a sign of the architect's unique aesthetic that, even with just one mast to play with, its rounded edges and gently warped form is still, somehow, signature Hadid."
Zaha Hadid Architects' website: "Positioned to optimize structural performance, as well as views of the setting sun from popular viewing points along the riverbank, the mast's location also avoids impeding the navigability of the river.
"This single-mast design minimizes disruption to the riverbed in accordance with the enhanced protection programs of the estuary's ecosystem as a nature reserve."
What Happens Next
Final touches on the Danjiang Bridge, including paving, lights, cable inspections and load tests, will continue until its public opening scheduled in May 2026.
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