After its planned inauguration in May, the Danjiang Bridge will connect Tamsui and Bali districts in New Taipei at the mouth of the Tamsui River across a nearly 1-kilometer span.
淡江大橋預計於5月通車，將於淡水河出海口跨越約近一公里的距離，連接新北市淡水與八里兩區。
The world’s longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge has been described by veteran engineers as “a mission impossible” because it demands a careful balance between aesthetics and engineering.
這座全球最長的單塔不對稱斜張橋，被資深工程師形容為「不可能的任務」，因為它必須在美學與工程之間取得精密平衡。
Elegant simplicity 優雅的簡約
As one of the final works of the late Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Zaha Hadid, the Danjiang Bridge embodies her wish for a design that was “as simple and as elegant as possible,” Huang Shao-wei, an associate director at Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), told CNA while recalling the design principles set for the bridge by the “Queen of the Curve.”
憶起這位「曲線女王」為大橋所訂下的設計原則，札哈．哈蒂建築師事務所副總監黃劭暐在接受中央社訪問時表示，作為已故普立茲克建築獎得主札哈．哈蒂的最後作品之一，淡江大橋體現了她對「盡可能簡單且優雅」設計的追求。
Huang, a Taiwanese architect who played a key role in ZHA’s winning entry in the 2015 international design competition for the bridge, said the design drew inspiration from the renowned Taiwanese dance troupe Cloud Gate Theater particularly in the form of the bridge’s main mast -- a curved tower that evokes the raised arms of dancers.
曾在札哈．哈蒂建築師事務所於2015年該橋國際設計競圖中扮演關鍵角色的黃劭暐表示，這項設計靈感來自台灣知名舞團雲門舞集，尤其體現在橋塔的曲線造型，宛如舞者高舉的雙臂。
A conventional two-tower suspension bridge would have left one of the towers blocking the path of the setting sun, Huang said, noting that the team eventually decided to design a cable-stayed bridge and remove one of the towers.
黃劭暐表示，傳統雙塔吊橋可能會讓其中一座橋塔遮蔽夕陽，因此團隊最終決定改採斜張橋設計，並移除其中一座橋塔。
The single mast, he said, is positioned at a carefully calculated spot closer to the Tamsui side to ensure it does not block the sunset when viewed from major sightseeing spots in Bali and Tamsui.
他指出，單一橋塔的位置經過精密計算，設置於靠近淡水一側，以確保從八里與淡水主要觀光景點觀看時不會遮擋夕陽。
Engineering hurdles 工程障礙
The bridge’s unconventional design, involving numerous custom components, along with its exposed location at a river mouth, posed serious construction challenges and deterred many builders, leading to seven failed tenders between 2017 and 2018.
這座橋的非傳統設計包含大量客製化構件，加上位於河口的開放環境，使施工面臨嚴峻挑戰，也讓許多廠商卻步，導致2017至2018年間歷經七次 流標。
The project only moved forward when local contractor Kung Sing Engineering Corp. won the bid.
直到本土承包商工信工程得標後，工程才得以推進。
However, Liu Yung-ching, the firm’s deputy general manager, said he was initially opposed to taking on what he described as “a mission impossible.”
然而，該公司副總經理劉永慶表示，他起初反對承接這項他稱之為「不可能的任務」的工程。
“I did not think any construction firm in Taiwan could build something like this piece of art,” he told CNA in an interview, recalling slamming his hand on the table when learning his boss’s decision to take on the project.
「我不認為台灣有任何一家營造公司能蓋出這樣的藝術品」，他在接受中央社訪問時說，並透露得知公司決定承接工程時曾氣到拍桌。
As Liu had foreseen, his team ran into several major difficulties, including leaks in the underwater cofferdam used for the main tower’s foundation.
如劉永慶所預料，他的團隊確實遭遇多項重大困難，包括用於橋塔基礎施工的水下圍堰出現滲水問題。
Another challenge came before the bridge’s final span was installed, when strong winds caused unfinished sections to sway by as much as 40 centimeters.
另一項挑戰出現在最後一跨尚未完成前，強風曾使未完工的橋段擺動幅度高達40公分。
The proposal to build the bridge was first unveiled in 1998 but was later shelved over environmental concerns.
這項興建大橋的計畫最早於1998年提出，但後來因環境疑慮而被擱置。
It later received approval from the Executive Yuan in 2014 to proceed following several environmental reviews and design modifications to the surrounding road networks and infrastructure in Tamsui and Bali.
該案在經過多次環評及淡水、八里周邊道路與基礎設施設計調整後，於2014年獲行政院核定推動。
Construction of the bridge began in February 2019, and it was initially scheduled for completion in 2024.
工程於2019年2月開工，原訂2024年完工。
However, the timeline was pushed back by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and labor shortages.
然而，受到COVID-19疫情與缺工等因素影響，工期延後。
Those setbacks also pushed up the total budget, which was revised from the original NT$15.43 billion (US$494.11 million) to NT$23.03 billion.
這些因素也推升總經費，由原本的新台幣154.3億元（約4.94億美元）調整至230.3億元。
With final road paving and lighting work underway and the bridge set to open to traffic on May 12, the Danjiang Bridge marks the end of years of pressure and perseverance for those involved in its planning and construction.
隨著道路鋪面與照明工程進入最後階段，預計於5月12日通車，淡江大橋象徵著規劃與施工人員多年壓力與堅持的結晶。
字詞解釋
embody（動詞）→體現、具體表現。例句：The new policy embodies the government’s commitment to long-term energy reform. 這項新政策體現了政府對長期能源改革的承諾。
deter（動詞）→阻止；嚇阻；使卻步。例句：Strict regulations are designed to deter companies from engaging in unfair trade practices. 嚴格的法規旨在阻止企業從事不公平的貿易行為。
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