Connecting Taichung and Changhua Across Wu River: 3.3 Billion Yuan Dadu-Hemei Bridge Opens

The Dadu-Hemei Bridge, a cross-river structure connecting Dadu District in Taichung City and Hemei Township in Changhua County across the Wu River, held its opening ceremony on October 31, 2026, with public traffic scheduled to open at 8 a.m. on November 1. With a total budget of approximately 3.3 billion yuan, construction began in January 2023 and was completed 4 months ahead of schedule. According to the Taichung City Construction Bureau, the bridge starts from Wenchang Road in Dadu District in the north and connects to Provincial Highway 61B in Hemei Township in the south, measuring approximately 1,440 meters in length and 22 meters in width. The deck includes 4 bi-directional vehicular lanes, 2 scooter-priority lanes, and a shared pedestrian and bicycle path, equipped with wind-speed warning displays. The construction overcame challenges involving Wu River currents and tidal variations, as well as constraints from adjacent Taipower extra-high-voltage facilities and CPC fuel pipelines, while incorporating local leopard cat imagery to respect nearby wildlife habitats.

Key takeaways

• The 3.3 billion yuan project broke ground in January 2023 and finished 4 months early; the bridge opening ceremony took place on October 31, 2026, ahead of opening to traffic on November 1.
• Spanning roughly 1,440 meters in length and 22 meters in width, the bridge links Taichung's Dadu with Changhua's Hemei, drastically cutting the travel time from detour routes.
• The design provides 4 vehicle lanes, scooter lanes, and shared pedestrian-bike paths, successfully overcoming river tides, power lines, and pipeline obstacles while honoring wildlife habitats.