Affected by the strong earthquakes in Eastern Taiwan on September 17 and 18, 2022, the Sanxiantai Eight Cross-Sea Bridge was temporarily closed, as suggested by the bridge inspection agency entrusted by the East Coast National Scenic Area Headquarters, Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications (hereinafter referred to as the Headquarters). Consequently, the Headquarters announced the temporary closure of the bridge starting from December 23, 2022, for further inspection to ensure visitor safety.
The Headquarters proactively invited experts, scholars, and professional consultancy companies to discuss a solution for reinforcing and improving the bridge. In September 2023, the Headquarters entrusted the Taiwan Structural Engineers Association (TSEA) to conduct a detailed safety assessment of the bridge. The TSEA conducted several on-site surveys and thoroughly inspected the structure of the Eight Cross-Sea Bridge, finding no signs of displacement, lateral shift, tilting, or deformation in the bridge structure or steel beams. Therefore, considering the risk of visitors falling from the bridge in strong winds, the Headquarters will conditionally open the Eight Cross-Sea Bridge when the wind is below 10 on the Beaufort scale.
The Headquarters proactively invited experts, scholars, and professional consultancy companies to discuss a solution for reinforcing and improving the bridge. In September 2023, the Headquarters entrusted the Taiwan Structural Engineers Association (TSEA) to conduct a detailed safety assessment of the bridge. The TSEA conducted several on-site surveys and thoroughly inspected the structure of the Eight Cross-Sea Bridge, finding no signs of displacement, lateral shift, tilting, or deformation in the bridge structure or steel beams. Therefore, considering the risk of visitors falling from the bridge in strong winds, the Headquarters will conditionally open the Eight Cross-Sea Bridge when the wind is below 10 on the Beaufort scale.
The Headquarters also launched the East Coast Fugang Geopark (Xiaoyeliu) Visitor Center Service Facility Improvement Project on September 1, 2022. In addition to renovating the exhibit content of the Center, the Center's internal space was also reorganized to include multiple visitor-friendly facilities, such as a breast-feeding room and a Muslim prayer room; to expand the environmental education space and facilities; and to construct toilets, thereby upgrading the overall service quality of the Center. The Center is expected to commence trial operations on February 10, 2024, the first day of the lunar new year.
The Headquarters expressed that the lunar new year festival is around the corner, and the Sanxiantai Eight Cross-Sea Bridge, long-awaited by local citizens and visitors, will finally be open. This will allow visitors to once again access Sanxiantai Island and enjoy its abundant ecology and natural landscape. Visitors heading to Sanxiantai can also visit the Xiaoyeliu Visitor Center when passing through the East Coast Fugang Geopark. The Headquarters hopes that, during the lunar new year festival, everyone can come together to enjoy the beautiful landscape and attractions of the eastern coast.