Estimate to fix Hualien damage tops NT$3 billion
Plans to extend Freeway No. 6 to reach Hualien directly are being worked on, but the 90km project poses many challenges, including many tunnels
About NT$3 billion (US$92.37 million) would be needed to revitalize tourism in Hualien County after it was devastated on April 3 by a quake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwotsai (王國材) said yesterday.
The quake, the largest to hit Taiwan in 25 years, caused severe damage to facilities and infrastructure in Hualien, including in Taroko National Park.
The Chateau de Chine in Hualien (花蓮翰品酒店) was forced to lay off 86 employees, as the hotel needs to be torn down and rebuilt due to damage.
Many domestic travelers have canceled trips to the east coast due to aftershocks, which as of yesterday totaled 906.
The Ministry of the Interior on Monday said that the cost of rebuilding in Taroko National Park could reach NT$1 billion.
The Tourism Administration is planning three rounds of stimulus initiatives to reboot the tourism industry in the county, Wang told reporters before attending a Transportation Committee meeting at the legislature in Taipei.
The first round would consist mainly of disaster relief, while the second round would focus on funding for people whose homes were damaged or destroyed, he said.
The third round would be to subsidize individuals and group tours to Hualien after facilities are rebuilt, he said.
The initiatives have been estimated to exceed NT$3 billion, Wang said, adding that details would be finalized by the Executive Yuan and could be implemented next month.
The ministry is scouting for a potential corridor to build an extension of the Shuishalian Freeway — Freeway No. 6, which runs from Taichung’s Wufong District (霧峰) to Puli Township (埔里) in Nantou County and connects to Hualien County via provincial highways 14, 14A and 8 — to connect directly to Hualien, he said, adding that the study is to be completed by 2026.
The committee also reviewed a special bill proposed by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅 萁) that would mandate an extension of the freeway to Hualien.
“We began scouting for a potential route last year and a feasibility study will be conducted once one has been identified,” Wang said.
The Freeway Bureau said in a report that the extension would be 90km and have 18 tunnels, with the longest being 17.4km.
Experts believe the cost to build the extension would be high, as construction could take years due to the unpredictable geological conditions in the Central Mountain Range, the report said.
The road would also affect the environment, which could compromise road safety, it said.
Democratic Progressive Party legislators Lee Kun-tse (李昆澤) and Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said they oppose a mandate to build the extension.
“Geological surveys, feasibility studies, environment impact assessments and financial planning must be conducted for such a project,” Lee said. “The Suhua Highway Improvement Project has proven its value given how it came through during the earthquake, showing that safety and sustainability should be the top priority for such projects.”
“I understand every legislator’s need to seek funding from the central government for projects in their districts, but making construction a mandate contradicts the constitutional principle of separation of powers,” Tsai said. “If this precedent were set, it could potentially be followed by hundreds of mandates.”