By KHT Staff. Image of proposed bridge via FB post.
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung plans to build a NT$160 million bridge across Fongshan Creek, giving residents an alternative to a narrow historic crossing that has carried local traffic for generations.
The 102-meter steel bridge would connect Jhendong Street with Lane 44 of Sanmin Road in Fongshan District (鳳山區), according to the Liberty Times.
Dongfu Bridge was built in 1841 across what was then called Dongmen Creek, providing a route through Dongbian Gate toward Wandan in present-day Pingtung County.
Its surviving Qing-era elements include distinctive boat-shaped piers with pointed ends designed to reduce the force of flowing water. The bridge forms part of the protected remains of the Qing-era Fongshan county seat.
The structure seen today, however, is not entirely the original bridge. Flooding during Tropical Storm Trami in 2001 destroyed two piers and part of the deck. Kaohsiung County completed a wider restoration of Dongfu Bridge, Dongbian Gate and the neighboring Dongfu Shrine in 2007, according to the National Cultural Memory Bank.
The new bridge is not intended to replace the historic crossing. It would provide a safer route for everyday traffic while reducing the burden on one of the few surviving Qing-era bridges still incorporated into a modern neighborhood.
The city has completed its review of the preliminary design and expects to finish the remaining design work by the end of this year. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion possible in 2028.
The existing bridge is only about two meters wide, forcing pedestrians and scooter riders to share a confined route. Its low position also leaves it vulnerable when Fongshan Creek rises during heavy rain, sometimes making the crossing impassable.
Residents use the bridge to reach schools, markets and other parts of central Fongshan. Local representatives have argued that modern traffic has placed too much pressure on a route never designed for present-day use.
City Councilor Liu Te-lin (劉德林) and borough representatives sought a second crossing following complaints about pedestrian safety and flooding. The city initially allocated NT$10 million for planning, design, and removing structures within the construction area.
Because the proposed bridge would stand close to other protected remains of the former walled town, its design avoids placing supporting piers in the creek.
Instead, the city plans to use a single-span steel box girder. Officials said keeping the river channel clear would reduce the effect on water flow and limit changes to the setting surrounding the historic structures.
The project would also include road approaches, lighting, drainage systems and retaining walls.
