Invited by China Steel Corporation, Sinotech’s President, Dr. Nelson N. S CHOU, attended the signing of donation agreement and groundbreaking ceremonies of Xin-Fa Bridge at 2 P.M. on January 27, 2010. Mr. T.M. Lin, Director-General of Directorate General of Highways (DGH), MOTC, and Mr. C.J. Chang, Chairman of the Board of China Steel Corporation (CSC) signed the contract on behalf of DGH and CSC, respectively. Minister of MOTC, Dr. Mao witnessed the agreement signing ceremony which was followed by the groundbreaking ceremony.

Built in 1995, the old Xin-Fa Bridge provided an essential road link to LiouGuei Township, Kaohsiung County. However, the bridge was destroyed by the destructive debris flows triggered by Typhoon Morakot on August 2009. CSC donated NT$500,000,000 (US$ 15,625,000 in equivalent) to assist the local government to build a new bridge at the same site.

The design and construction supervision of the new bridge will be performed by Sinotech, and the construction will be performed by United Steel Engineering & Construction Corp. The new bridge is planned to be open to traffic on June 2011. The total length of the project is 712m with a 465m steel bridge and a 247m collector/distributor road (C/D road). The net width of the bridge is 12m with a design speed rate of 40 km/hr. The maximum span of the new bridge is 150m, with only one pier in the 190m wide river channel. Considering river deposition, potential debris flow, and a 100-year flood return period, the elevation of the new bridge will be EL. 330.7m, which is 19m higher than the old one. At the road side of the north of the bridge, a small memorial park will be built. One monument will be erected as a symbol of harmony among Heaven, Earth, and Mankind to indurate the spirit of perpetual growth.