Suhua Highway
Encyclopedia
Suhua Highway is a 118-kilometre section of the Provincial Highway No. 9
in Taiwan
, starting at Su-ao Township, Yilan and ending at Hualien City
, Hualien. With a portion built alongside very steep cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean
, it is a dangerous yet scenic drive. Famous tourist stops include the Qingshui Cliffs.
between 1874 and 1876, as part of a program to assert its sovereignty over eastern Taiwan – hitherto inhabited mostly by Taiwanese aborigines – after the Taiwan Expedition of 1874
by Japan. The narrowness of the footpath, dictated by the extreme cliffside topography, meant that its military value far outweighed its economic benefit, and it was subsequently abandoned and rebuilt several times. Eventually it was widened by the Japanese colonial government
; with 9 bridges built, 14 tunnels constructed, and road surface covered with gravel, the highway was opened to vehicular traffic in May 1932.
Nonetheless the northern portion of the highway, between Su-ao and Taroko
, was just 3.56 metres in width, permitting only one-way traffic at a time. Vehicles were required to travel in convoys, controlled by six "passing loop
s" along the route. With no guard rail
s to speak of, and with falling rocks a constant threat, the cliffside highway was regarded as one of the most dangerous in the world. Nonetheless it remained the main transport link between eastern and northern Taiwan, until the completion of the North-Link Line
railway in 1980.
Finally in the 1980s the northern portion of the highway was widened again to facilitate two-way traffic; construction was completed in 1990.
It has been collapsed between Suao and Dongao in October 21, 2010, has a plan to replaces by straight tunnels inner land as part of Suhua Highway Improvement Project
- a similar cliffside highway in Bolivia
Provincial Highway No. 9 (Taiwan)
Provincial Highway No. 9 is an important highway system cross the eastern Taiwan from Taipei City to Fangshan Township, Pingtung. This longest provincial highway, which the length is 479.779km, passes the regions of Taipei City, New Taipei City, Yilan County, Hualien County, Taitung County and...
in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, starting at Su-ao Township, Yilan and ending at Hualien City
Hualien City
Hualien City is the capital of Hualien County, Taiwan. It is located on the East coast of Taiwan, by the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 110,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Hualien. With a portion built alongside very steep cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, it is a dangerous yet scenic drive. Famous tourist stops include the Qingshui Cliffs.
History
A footpath between Su-ao and Hualien was first built by the Chinese governmentQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
between 1874 and 1876, as part of a program to assert its sovereignty over eastern Taiwan – hitherto inhabited mostly by Taiwanese aborigines – after the Taiwan Expedition of 1874
Taiwan Expedition of 1874
The , usually referred to in Taiwan and mainland China as the Mudan incident , was a punitive expedition launched by the Japanese in retaliation for the murder of 54 Ryukyuan sailors by Paiwan aborigines near the southwestern tip of Taiwan in December 1871...
by Japan. The narrowness of the footpath, dictated by the extreme cliffside topography, meant that its military value far outweighed its economic benefit, and it was subsequently abandoned and rebuilt several times. Eventually it was widened by the Japanese colonial government
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
; with 9 bridges built, 14 tunnels constructed, and road surface covered with gravel, the highway was opened to vehicular traffic in May 1932.
Nonetheless the northern portion of the highway, between Su-ao and Taroko
Taroko National Park
Taroko National Park is one of the seven national parks in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park. The park spans Taichung City, Nantou County, and Hualien County....
, was just 3.56 metres in width, permitting only one-way traffic at a time. Vehicles were required to travel in convoys, controlled by six "passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
s" along the route. With no guard rail
Guard rail
Guard rail or guardrail, sometimes referred to as guide rail or railing, is a system designed to keep people or vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limits areas...
s to speak of, and with falling rocks a constant threat, the cliffside highway was regarded as one of the most dangerous in the world. Nonetheless it remained the main transport link between eastern and northern Taiwan, until the completion of the North-Link Line
North-Link Line
The North-Link Line is the central section of the Eastern Line of the Taiwan Railway Administration. It has a total length of 86.6 km, including the 7.4 km segment between Beipu and Hualien Port. -History:...
railway in 1980.
Finally in the 1980s the northern portion of the highway was widened again to facilitate two-way traffic; construction was completed in 1990.
It has been collapsed between Suao and Dongao in October 21, 2010, has a plan to replaces by straight tunnels inner land as part of Suhua Highway Improvement Project
See also
Yungas RoadYungas Road
The North Yungas Road is a or road leading from La Paz to Coroico, northeast of La Paz in the Yungas region of Bolivia. It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road"...
- a similar cliffside highway in Bolivia