Provincial Highway No. 20 to Taitung Opens for Disconnected Boroughs 南橫台東端今明開放 供高雄桃源三里通行

Three boroughs in Kaohsiung remain cut off, with the only access to the outside world is a makeshift route, that allows residents to purchase supplies. A resident with cardiovascular disease also used the route to seek medical treatment.

People sitting in these cars are residents of three boroughs in Kaohsiung's Taoyuan District. Their homes were cut off from the outside world when the only access bridge was damaged 2 weeks ago. This route was designated for the residents to go on supply runs. 

Authorities opened a section of Nanheng Road between Meishankou to Xiangyang to residents on Aug. 20, and a traffic jam quickly developed.

Resident:” I bought some meat and cooking oil. (Who did you leave the mountain with today?) Family members. (What time did you come back?) It was a round trip. (You made a round trip today?) Yes.” 

In the opposite direction, supplies are waiting to be delivered to Taoyuan. A district representative even drove back from Kaohsiung in late Aug. 19 so that he can sell Taoyaun's mangos in urban areas.

Ku Ming-liang, Representative, Haiduan Township:” With the road being damaged, there aren't any supplies. We are all one family, so we decided to see what we can do to help our family.”

Cheng Cheng-wei, Director, Third Maintenance Office Jiasian Construction Section, DGH:” On the first day and subsequently, we are using guided vehicles to help direct traffic between Meishan and Xiangyang.”

Although the route didn't open until Aug. 20, one resident was transported off the mountain on the evening of Aug. 19. The 60-something man, a diabetic with a chronic heart condition, fell unconscious and had to be transported out for medical attention.

The area where the three boroughs are located is not accessible by air. Authorities say Nanheng Road will be open three times a day on Aug. 20 and 21 between Kaohsiung's Meishankou and Taitung's Xiangyang, with the last period extended by one hour. Residents that aren't able to make it back before then can stay at a Taitung Forest District Office cabin overnight free of charge.

長長車陣等在南橫公路梅山口，8點一到準時放行，由公路單位前後戒護，讓民眾到台東採買物資，雖有直升機空投物資，但瓦斯、飼料等物品還是缺乏，公路單位開放南橫公路梅山口到台東向陽端緊急通行，民眾早早列好要採買的物品。

通行居民：「買一些肉類跟沙拉油。（今天跟誰一起下山？）家人，（幾點回來）往返，（今天當天往返)對對對。）

台東端也有物資要運進桃源山區，還有桃源區代表，19號深夜開車從高雄往台東向陽管制站，等著20號通車後，將桃源山區的金煌芒果運出去賣。

台東海端鄉代會代表 古明良：「路中斷了，應該都是沒有物資了，所以我們就一家人，就協調是不是我們來支援高雄區的一家人。」

公路總局第三區養護工程處甲仙工務段長 陳正偉：「第一天我們是採，跟後面都會採前導後衛的方式，來做一個導引車輛來通行梅山到向陽這一個路段。」

雖是8/20號開放通行，首位通過的居民卻是搭救護車，19號傍晚，一名60歲有心臟病、糖尿病史的復興里民，突然昏迷，當地衛生所評估後建議後送。但直升機因天氣無法載運，緊急走南橫公路送往台東關山醫院。

公路單位表示，南橫公路目前開放高雄梅山口往返台東向陽，8/20、21號兩天，一天3個時段，不過公路單位考量車程，將最晚通行時間將延長一小時，民眾趕不及也會開放林務局台東端的山屋免費入住，希望保障居民行車安全。