The newly improved Suhua Highway on Taiwan’s east coast is now completely open to traffic. The improvements cut travel time between Su’ao Township in Yilan County to Hualien County from two and a half hours down to 90 minutes.
Construction on the mountainous highway took about nine years and NT$55.1 billion (US$1.8 billion) to complete. The road features eight tunnels, which help expedite travel time.
Premier Su Tseng-chang spoke on Monday at a ceremony to mark the opening of the final upgraded section of the highway. He promised to give residents in the east coast counties of Hualien and Taitung a safer and more convenient road.
There are already plans in place to upgrade the roadway that extends southward from the Suhua Highway.
Su said the completion of the Suhua Project is a beginning, not an end. He said the government will continue working on other similar road projects along the east coast to improve travel conditions.