An 11.67-kilometer Alishan cable car route has been selected after a feasibility evaluation, the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration said Jan. 19.
The route will connect Fenqihu and the Alishan Forest Recreation Park, with stops at Dinghu and Shizilu along the way, according to the scenic area administration.
The cable car system was proposed to provide better access to the area after major sections of the Alishan Highway were wiped out when Typhoon Morakot devastated southern Taiwan in August 2009.
The road’s closure took a heavy toll on Chiayi County tourism.
In addition to geological factors, the route was chosen because Fenqihu and the recreation park are among the most popular attractions in Alishan, the administration said.
Access to the planned cable car system by public road and railway are still necessary prerequisites in order to fully prepare for construction of the system, according to the evaluation.
The planning unit used the Alishan Highway, also known as Provincial Highway No. 18, as the main axis for the proposed cable car. The roadway is the area’s only major link to the outside world. It was only reopened to large tour buses late last year.
Geological experts used data from National Cheng Kung University’s Disaster Prevention and Research Center and the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Central Geological Survey, taking into account major fault lines and areas prone to landslides to select the most ideal site.
The scenic area administration said the evaluation, carried out by a professional consulting firm, will serve as a useful reference for relevant agencies in their policymaking. (SB)