Final section of W. Taiwan's Provincial Highway 61 to open Dec. 27

西濱台61線於12/27日全線通車

Construction of coastal expressway began in 1992

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The final section of Provincial Highway 61 along Taiwan’s west coast is expected to open for traffic on Dec. 27 after the project for the 9-kilometer stretch between Fangyuan and Dacheng townships in Changhua County is completed, according to the Directorate General of Highways (DGH), CNA reported on Sunday (Dec. 22).

The DGH said that the completion of the Fangyuan-Dacheng section means that the entire expressway is now connected and that no detours will be necessary while driving on the highway.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that the completion of the entire 308-kilometer Provincial Highway 61 is expected to boost tourism in areas along the route. In the future, rest areas will be set up along the toll-free highway, on which construction began in 1992, Lin added.

A project to elevate a 6.6-kilometer section of the expressway in Hsinchu County is still underway, but it does not interrupt traffic. That project is expected to be completed before the coming Lunar New Year, the DGH said.

Changhua County Commissioner Wang Hui-mei (王惠美) urged the public to take the expressway to visit the county's attractions but advised them not to drive too fast as speed cameras along the soon-to-be-opened section will be activated.