By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung’s rebuilt Jiuru Bridge (九如橋) has drawn criticism online after residents compared the nearly finished bridge with earlier project renderings, according to a report in the China Times.
The NT$500 million reconstruction project is scheduled to open to traffic on July 31, following approximately two years of work.
However, residents have complained that the red railings beside the sidewalks resemble torii gates and do not match the earlier design images of the bridge. Some also questioned whether the gaps between the railings were too wide and could pose a safety issue.
After the complaints spread online, the Kaohsiung City Government repainted the red railings white.
The debate widened Saturday after a user on PTT posted original project renderings alongside recent photos of the bridge, asking why the completed structure looked so different from the images first shown to the public.
Many commenters said the renderings appeared far more polished than the actual bridge, while others questioned whether the design had been changed during construction.
The bridge, an important link across Kaohsiung’s rail corridor, has been under reconstruction as part of the city’s broader road and traffic improvement work.
