Heren-Chongde Section Open for Traffic 3 Time Periods a Day 蘇花防護仍需3天 每天開放3時段.夜間封閉

Traffic reopened on Suhua Highway while continuing with slope protection work. The Heren to Chongde section is open for traffic three time periods a day from the 16th through the 18th, with traffic back to normal starting the 19th through the 31st, druing the Lunar New Year break.

Cars lined up for kilometers on the Suhua Highway before daybreak, waiting for traffic to reopen so they can cross the Chongde section. Drivers complained how the section is now only open for traffic three times a day.

Mr. Li, Northbound driver: “For safety reasons, I have no choice. (How long have you been waiting here?) Since 10 p.m. from last night.”

Mr. Wang, Northbound driver: “This section is only open for traffic three times a day, that's not enough obviously. It's ok if it's closed during the night, but it should be opened for as long as possible throughout the day.”

Traffic controllers opened the gate so that cars traveling in both directions can freely pass through. Cars were traveling at 40 kilometers per hour at first, but congestion soon began once cars reached the Jingwen Tunnel. Due to the small size of the tunnel, vehicles have to slow down while passing by each other, making it even more difficult for large vehicles.

Repair Worker: “(Hey brother, you need to keep looking up, right?) Yeah. (You have to pay attention to whether there are falling rocks, right? Keep away from the falling rocks, yeah?) Yes yes yes.”

With slope protection work to finish up the repair, the Daqingshui Tunnel will be only open for traffic three time periods a day from the 16th through the 18th, and closing after 7 p.m. till the next day, according to the Nanao Work Section.

Chen He-jen, Sec. Head, Nanao Work Section: “We will continue with concrete spraying work from the 16th through the 18th, that's why traffic is only open for three time periods a day, from 5 to 8 in the morning, then 11 to 1 p.m. in the afternoon, and 5 to 7 p.m. in the evening. The Heren-Chongde section will be closed after 7 p.m. for those three days. ”

The Directorate General of Highways hope for everyone's understanding since they need to finish slope protection work before the Lunar New Year break. All sections will be open for traffic normally starting the 19th through the 31st.

為了要趕上早上5時放行的時間，天還沒亮的蘇花公路崇德段，路上出現好幾公里遠的車潮，許多駕駛都是昨（15）日晚間就來等，因為總比繞遠路好，但對1天只放行3個時段，頗有意見。

北上駕駛李先生說道：「為了安全起見沒有辦法。（你等多久？）昨天晚上10時多等到現在。」

北上駕駛王先生指出：「一天只放3個時段，當然不夠。你如果說夜間不放當然可以，可是你白天盡可能能放就放。」

時間一到管制人員打開柵欄，讓南、北管制車輛放行，開始時速還能維持40公里左右，但進了錦文隧道後就出現壅塞，由於隧道內狹小大型車輛高度與會車都較困難，經過災害路段時更加緊張。

現場搶修人員表示：「（大哥你要一直看上面對不對？）對啊。（要隨時注意有沒有落石，是不是？避免有落石吧？）對。」

南澳工務段表示，大清水隧道雖然在15日搶通，但崩塌山壁還需做防護工程，因此16日到18日每天只放行3個時段，晚上7時以後就封閉，以利工程進行。

南澳工務段段長陳鶴仁提及：「那16日到18日，我們要繼續做坡面的噴漿作業。所以說我們一天只開放3個時段，就是上午的5時到8時、中午的11時到下午的13時、傍晚的17時到19時。晚上19時以後我們和仁到崇德路段，還是進行封閉。」

公路總局強調，春節連續假期即將到來，因此必須趕緊做好災害路段的防護，19日到31日才會全線開放，這3天的管制還請用路人多體諒。