Taiwan Today

The East-West Cross-Island Highway is known as the "Rainbow of Treasure Island." Now Taiwan has a new rainbow: the North-South Freeway, which was completed last October 31 on the birthday of the late President Chiang Kai-shek. Costing US$1.2 billion and 373 kilometers in length, the road connects all major cities of the island except those of the east coast. Scene above shows the expressway sweeping past the Grand Hotel on the lower slopes of Yuanshan in Taipei and across a bend of the Keelung River. Night scene in hills is seen below.

 

 

Taiwan's only expressway required seven years to build and cost more than twice the original estimate. Construction was complicated by the heavy rains to which the island is subjected and the hilly terrain in the north. There were also many rivers to be bridged. The start of the roadway is at the northern port of Keelung and the terminus at Fengshan adjacent to the southern port of Kaohsiung. The new harbor of Taichung and international airports near Tai­ pei and Kaohsiung are also served. There are 37 exchanges, averaging about 10 kilometers apart. Toll charges are levied but not within the metropolitan areas of Taiwan's big cities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new freeway passes through scenic areas of hills, rivers and lush plains. Additionally, the right-of-way and divider strip have been beautified with oleanders, azaleas, hibiscus and small banyans. Four lanes widen to six and in some places to eight to accommodate heavy traffic. The speed limit is 90 kilometers an hour. Economic benefits are expected to help usher the Republic of China into the ranks of the developed countries within the next decade.