Taichung expressway project makes significant progress, could run by 2029
Neighborhoods in the mountains of Taichung will be more connected to city center. More than 20 years since its proposal, the Dongfeng Expressway project has made significant progress. Two key sections of the road were successfully conjoined last April. Meanwhile, the 2km tunnel section is making swift progress. It’s adopted an environmentally conscious construction method using advanced materials. So far, excavation has reached 720m, despite challenging geological conditions. The entire expressway could open in 2029, well ahead of schedule.
Taichung City Government is marking a new milestone in the Dongshi-Fengyuan Life Circle Expressway project, or Dongfeng Expressway in short.
Lu Shiow-yen
Taichung Mayor
I guarantee that we’ll see through the completion of this expressway, because it’s a lifeline for our residents in the mountainous area, safeguarding their lives and livelihoods.
The expressway’s third- and fourth-tender sections were conjoined at the end of April, 2025, marking a key milestone in transportation for Taichung’s mountainous region. Both Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen and deputy legislative speaker Johnny Chiang witnessed this historic moment.
Lu Shiow-yen
Taichung Mayor
People’s lives and livelihoods are the most valued, so we are compelled to build this expressway.
In addition to the successful conjoinment, the first-tender section, a tunnel through Gonglaoping Mountain, is also going ahead in full steam. At 2km, it’s the longest tunnel project in Taichung to date. Challenging geological conditions, such as proximity to the Chelungpu Fault, also makes construction all the more difficult.
Chen Ta-tien
Taichung Construction Bureau
In order to fulfill our promise and faithfully following the environmental impact assessment, we’ve adopted the New Austrian Tunneling Method. The whole stretch is fully excavated with mechanical methods. Explosives were not used at all, which lowers the environmental impact. The walls are also reinforced with rock bolts, to enhance the tunnel’s structural stability and construction safety. In addition, to minimize groundwater runoff and implement environmental sustainability principles, the Construction Bureau also adopted a waterproofing method using full-coverage membrane. The construction standards are also on par as that of national freeways.
High engineering standards minimize the project’s environmental impact while ensuring site safety. The team also introduced variable frequency blowers to reduce operating noise. In addition, advanced materials, including steel fibre-reinforced shotcrete and low-alkali quick-setting agents were used throughout the project, allowing faster progress, reduced dust generation and a safer construction environment.
Chen Ta-tien
Taichung Construction Bureau
Once the Dongfeng Expressway is completed, it will connect the five districts of Fengyuan, Shigang, Dongshi , Shinshe and Heping. It will also connect with National Freeway No. 4, to form a comprehensive transportation network. The project will continue to make steady progress. We expect the expressway to be fully open in 2029.
Wang Chen-liang
Head of Zhongke Borough
It’s not just a lifeline. It’s also a road connecting the mountainous area with the outside region, a boon for local tourism and prosperity and preventing population loss.
Even though the team faced various challenges for this difficult project, they persisted out of conviction that Taichung residents deserve the best. After more than 20 years since the initial proposal, the Dongfeng Expressway is expected to finally open in 2029, making the transportation of goods and people more convenient, on both regular days and in the wake of natural disasters—a veritable lifeline for communities in the area.
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2026-04-15
