By RK Shih /Staff
KAOSHIUNG — Many city residents likely remember when the bridge linking Jiuru 4th and 3rd Rd. was demolished, as it began a period where crossing the Love River to and from the Zhongdu/Neiwei area became much less convenient. Happily, reports say work on the new Jiuru Bridge (九如橋), a key connector between Sanmin’s Zhongdu area (中都) and Gushan’s Neiwei district (內惟), is moving into its next phase, with completion targeted for June 2026, according to the Kaohsiung Public Works Bureau (工務局).
The original Jiuru Road overpass was demolished last year. Construction on the new bridge began in early August, and crews are now installing piers and preparing for a major road-raising project. From November 26, 2025, to just before Lunar New Year 2026, Tongmeng 3rd Road (同盟三路) between Zhonghua Road and Shiquan 3rd Road will be fully closed for elevation work.
The new Jiuru Bridge will be built as a level crossing, but this will mean both Tongmeng 3rd Road and Hexi 1st Road (河西一路) must be raised roughly 2.1 meters to maintain navigational clearance along the Love River (愛河). The structure will be about 30 meters wide, with two traffic lanes in each direction and 5.6-meter sidewalks on both sides — part of the city’s broader push toward pedestrian-friendly planning. Officials say the redesign will reconnect the road network and improve both traffic flow and riverside views.
A New Northern Kaohsiung Living Cluster
As construction progresses, Zhongdu’s redevelopment zone has emerged as one of Kaohsiung’s most active new-build markets. According to professionals, Zhongdu’s appeal lies in its emerging role as a northern Kaohsiung lifestyle hub. The district sits just one bridge away from the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (高雄市立美術館) area and connects directly to Meishu East 2nd Road (美術東二路), the Meishu Park corridor (美術公園), and the Qinghai commercial zone (青海商圈).
With links extending to Zhongdu Wetland Park (中都濕地公園), the area is set to form a “continuous urban belt” once the new Jiuru Bridge opens. Improved access to the Fubon-Hanshin commercial tower project (富邦漢神) and E-Sky Mall (義享天地) will further tie Zhongdu into northern Kaohsiung’s retail triangle.
