(Photo courtesy of East Coast National Scenic Area Headquarters)
Taipei, May 22 (CNA) The landmark footbridge of the Sanxiantai scenic area on the coast of Taitung County will be closed for renovations for three and half months, starting on June 1, the Tourism Bureau said Monday.
The iconic bridge, known as the Ba Gong (Eight Arch) Bridge, will not be reopened for public use until Sept. 15, according to the headquarters of the East Coast National Scenic Area under the bureau.
Built in 1987, the Eight Arch Bridge connects the coast with the pristine Sanxiantai Island. After 30 years of service, it is being closed out of safety concerns to conduct comprehensive checks of its ability to withstand earthquakes and repair cracks, the headquarters said.
The planned renovation will also include improving drainage and repainting the bridge, it added, explaining that the work is aimed at improving the scenic area's quality of service for visitors.
Sanxiantai had once been an elongated cape that stretched into the Pacific Ocean, but the central part of the cape was eroded by the tide, leaving an island separated from the coastline, according to the Taitung County government.
