By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — The opening of Kaohsiung’s rebuilt Jiuru Bridge (九如橋) has been delayed until around the middle of this month, after heavy rain disrupted construction, the city’s Public Works Bureau (工務局) said.
The bridge had been expected to open by the end of June. The bureau said rain from the outer bands of Typhoon Mekkhala (米克拉) delayed some important work at the site.
Officials said the bridge is now expected to be fully open to traffic by mid-July if work proceeds smoothly, adding that safety and construction quality would take priority.
Jiuru Bridge crosses Love River (愛河), linking Sanmin District (三民區) on the east side of the river with Gushan District (鼓山區) on the west. The old bridge was built in 1976 and also crossed the former surface railway before Kaohsiung’s urban rail lines were moved underground.
The city decided to demolish and rebuild the bridge after the old structure deteriorated. The replacement project began in August 2024 and has a total budget of about NT$470 million.
The new bridge is about 70 meters long and 30 meters wide. The city says the project is meant to improve east-west traffic links while reconnecting nearby pedestrian and greenway routes around Zhongdu Wetlands Park (中都濕地公園) and the former Tangrong Brick Kiln (唐榮磚窯廠).
The bridge is also expected to improve access between nearby transport points, including TRA Museum of Fine Arts Station (台鐵美術館站), Gushan Station (鼓山車站), and Light Rail C18 Gushan Station (輕軌C18鼓山站).
The project had already drawn local attention earlier this year after the city said the main bridge structure was still expected to open by the end of June, while sidewalk work on both sides could take longer because of design changes.
Liberty Times reported that work was still continuing at the bridge after the June deadline, with red railings installed and asphalt paving underway.
