Hua 68 Gaoliao Bridge 0918 Earthquake Reconstruction Wins Excellence Award at 2025 Construction Golden Safety Awards; Hualien County Government: Upholding the Highest Standards for Safety and Quality

(中央社訊息服務20251209 17:16:44)The “Hua 68 Township Road Gaoliao Bridge 0918 Earthquake Reconstruction Project,” promoted by the Hualien County Government, was recently honored with an Excellence Award at the 19th Construction Golden Safety Awards (2025), hosted by the Ministry of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The county government noted that the Golden Safety Awards are a key benchmark for engineering safety in Taiwan, and this recognition highlights the professional jury’s strong affirmation of the project team’s performance in construction quality, safety systems, and management practices during post-disaster reconstruction.

Hualien County Mayor Hsu Chen-Wei stated that the September 18 earthquake caused widespread road damage across eastern Taiwan. The county government mobilized recovery efforts immediately after the disaster, operating under the core principles of “safety first, quality foremost.” The Gaoliao Bridge and its surrounding roads were rebuilt as part of these efforts. Magistrate Hsu expressed gratitude to all participating teams for their professionalism in protecting one of Hualien’s vital transportation arteries.

At the awards ceremony, Minister of Labor Hung Sun-Han presented the honor. Representing the county government, Deputy Director-General Chang Chih-Hao of the Economic Affairs Department accepted the award on stage alongside the engineering teams from Yang Sheng Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd. and Jui Feng Construction Co., Ltd. Yang Sheng was responsible for design and supervision, while Jui Feng carried out the construction. The reconstruction project spans from the Provincial Highway 9 junction to the Gaoliao section of County Road 193, comprising a 770-meter-long bridge and 406.45 meters of approach roads. In addition to rebuilding the Gaoliao Bridge, the project included improvements to the surrounding road infrastructure. Upon completion, it restored routes disrupted by the earthquake, enhanced disaster resilience, improved traffic efficiency, and strengthened regional connectivity.

Hualien County Government explained that multiple advanced safety measures were introduced during construction. These included automated monitoring systems, enhanced safety protocols for working at heights, daily risk assessment (TBM) meetings, visual management tools, cross-agency collaboration, and systematic training programs, all aimed at elevating the overall safety and management of the site.

The county emphasized that post-disaster reconstruction is not just about restoring damaged infrastructure. It is also about building stronger, safer, and more resilient systems. Looking ahead, Hualien County Government pledged to continue raising the bar for public construction quality and safety. Working closely with central authorities and professional teams, the county remains committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and sustainable transportation environment that ensures peace of mind for every road user.