HUALIEN (TVBS News) — The southbound Zhongren Tunnel (中仁隧道) on the Su-Hua highway corridor (蘇花路廊) of the Highway of Provincial Highway No. 9 (台9線) will reopen to traffic on July 4, according to the Eastern Region Branch Office, Highway Bureau.
The decision to adjust the construction schedule comes in response to public demand for access during the summer vacation. The tunnel was originally closed for drainage improvement works. The office had planned a 24-hour road closure from July 1 to Sept. 30 for culvert excavation operations, announced by the bureau on June 28.
However, the closure sparked complaints from road users concerned about the impact on Hualien and Taitung residents returning home for the harvest festival. Road users also expressed worries about the effect on tourism operators. The summer vacation is a peak tourist season, and the closure could potentially deter tourists from the north from visiting Hualien.
The office cautions that, although the tunnel will reopen on July 4, construction work will still be ongoing inside the tunnel. They urge travelers to proceed with caution.
