By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung officials say the rebuilt Jiuru Bridge (九如橋) remains on schedule to reopen before the end of June, potentially ending more than two years of traffic disruptions for residents and commuters on both sides of the Love River.
The bridge, which links Neiwei (內惟) in Gushan District (鼓山區) with Zhongdu (中都) in Sanmin District (三民區), is undergoing a full reconstruction project aimed at replacing the aging structure and improving traffic flow in the surrounding area. The project is reported to have a budget of approximately NT$568 million.
Questions about the timeline emerged earlier this year when city officials reported the project was about 65% complete in March, prompting concerns from some city councilors that the remaining work would be difficult to finish before the June deadline. Public Works Bureau officials responded that the bridge’s primary structural components had already been completed and that most remaining work involved supporting infrastructure and finishing touches.
To accelerate construction, portions of Jiuru 4th Road and nearby streets were closed beginning in March, with traffic restrictions scheduled to remain in place through the end of June. The city said the closures were necessary to allow crews to complete road connections, drainage improvements and related works tied to the bridge replacement.
If completed on schedule, the reopening would restore a key east-west crossing over the Love River and remove one of the city’s most significant long-term traffic bottlenecks. Officials have repeatedly stated that the bridge is expected to open to traffic before June 30.
