Danshui Bridge to Open in May; Inter-Agency Drill Enhances Traffic Safety and Emergency Response

The Danshui Bridge is scheduled to open in May. To ensure traffic safety after its opening and establish a comprehensive emergency response mechanism, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Directorate General of Highways, Northern District Maintenance Engineering Office, today (April 14) conducted an inter-agency joint drill with the New Taipei City Government Police Department and Fire Department. The Danshui Bridge, connecting New Taipei City's Tamsui and Bali, crosses the Tamsui River estuary. Its main bridge section is approximately 920 meters long, with a main span of 450 meters, making it the world's longest single-tower asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge. It was designed by the internationally renowned architect Zaha Hadid Architects and is expected to officially open on May 12. The Northern District Maintenance Engineering Office announced in a press release that the 'Danshui Bridge Pre-Opening Inter-Agency Joint Drill' was completed today. The drill primarily simulated various potential emergencies after the bridge's opening, including strong wind control measures, clearing multi-vehicle collision accidents, rescuing casualties, and traffic control and diversion. The Northern District Maintenance Engineering Office stated that the drill focused on testing the notification procedures and coordination capabilities among various agencies to ensure that in the event of an accident, equipment and rescue personnel can be dispatched quickly to the scene, restoring traffic and assisting casualties in the shortest possible time, thereby effectively reducing the risk of secondary accidents through practical simulation of accident clearance processes. In addition to conducting the drill, the Northern District Maintenance Engineering Office also surveyed various lane and pedestrian rescue routes to ensure safety for different road users after the bridge opens. The Northern District Maintenance Engineering Office urges road users to maintain safe distances, avoid fatigued driving, and pay attention to road conditions after the Danshui Bridge opens, to prevent accidents due to limited visibility or insufficient reaction time. When passing through relevant road sections, drivers should follow the guidance of signs and variable message signs (CMS). Furthermore, the Northern District Maintenance Engineering Office reminds road users to plan their itineraries in advance. For relevant road traffic information, please listen to the police radio, check the Directorate General of Highways' smart provincial highway real-time information service website, or call 02-86875114 and the Directorate General of Highways' user service center toll-free number 0800-231-035. (Editor: Wu Su-jou) 1150414