Ministry of Transportation Invests Tens of Millions to Improve Danjiang Bridge Wind Noise; Completion by End of August

The main bridge of the Danjiang Bridge, connecting Tamsui and Bali in New Taipei City, is approximately 920 meters long with a main span of 450 meters. It is scheduled to officially open on May 12, becoming the world's largest single-tower asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge. Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai today inspected the Danjiang Bridge construction site to understand the recent public concerns regarding wind noise improvement on the pedestrian railings. The ministry's regular meeting was also held at the site for the first time. After listening to the Directorate General of Highways' briefing, Chen Shih-kai explained that the pedestrian railings of the Danjiang Bridge began installation in December 2025. After extensive construction in January this year, significant wind noise occurred during the northeast monsoon season. Following an on-site inspection on January 27 this year by the Tamkang University Wind Engineering Research Center, it was confirmed that the noise was primarily caused by the dense arrangement of pedestrian railings, leading to resonance under specific wind speeds and directions. To confirm the conditions and effectiveness of improvements, the construction unit immediately sent the pedestrian railings to the Tamkang University Wind Engineering Research Center, and a wind tunnel test was conducted in March this year. Test results showed that when the wind speed reaches approximately 5.6 meters per second or more (about level 4 wind), and the wind direction is within an angle of about 22 to 35 degrees to the railings, significant wind noise may occur. The tests also showed that after installing sound-absorbing rubber strips, wind vibration energy can be reduced by more than 30 decibels, indicating a significant improvement in wind noise. Chen Yung-chieh, Director of the Northern Region Highway New Construction Engineering Branch of the Directorate General of Highways, explained the short-term and long-term improvement measures. For the short term, the construction team has currently installed gray sound-absorbing rubber strips on the outer side of the railings in a staggered manner, prioritizing the upstream section, approximately 1,200 meters, which is more affected by the northeast monsoon. This is expected to be completed by April 15. He revealed that a comparison with continuous installation showed no significant difference to the human ear. Since the anti-collision rubber strip material is synthetic rubber, its lifespan is 1 to 2 years in humid and hot environments or under sunlight. Chen Yung-chieh pointed out that in the long term, more durable materials will be adopted, referencing the case of the San Francisco Bridge in the United States, using aluminum plate clips. These will be installed after the bridge opens, with completion expected by the end of August this year. Both short-term and long-term solutions have been evaluated by Zaha Hadid Architects and are deemed not to affect the landscape. Chen Shih-kai stated that to allow surrounding residents to enjoy convenient transportation without being disturbed by humming sounds, he believes that investing an additional NT$11.5 million is worthwhile. He hopes this bridge will bring beauty and good memories to the public. (Edited by Kuan Chung-wei)1150409