Miaoli Route 62-1 'Last Mile' Project Breaks Ground, Connecting Northern and Southern Tribes

The Miaoli County Government held a groundbreaking ceremony today at the Tai'an Township Office plaza for the 'Xueba National Park to Xuewei Road (Route 62-1) Phase 1 and 2 Follow-up Project.' County Magistrate Zhong Dongjin, Chen Junxiong of the Ministry of the Interior's National Land Management Agency, and Tai'an Township Mayor Chen Jiji participated in the ceremony. The project is expected to be completed by December 2030, aiming to build a safe and resilient passage for the tribes and drive tourism development in the indigenous region. The County's Transportation and Public Works Department stated that Route 62-1 is a key path connecting Zhongxing Village and Daxing Village on both sides of the Dahu Creek in Tai'an Township. Due to steep mountain terrain and unstable geological conditions, there was a gap between the two sections. After securing funding from the central government, the project was included in the 'Living Circle Road Traffic System Construction Plan' with a total budget of NT$1.457 billion. The central government is subsidizing approximately NT$1.238 billion to complete the connection and resolve long-standing traffic bottlenecks. Zhong Dongjin stated that this project is the 'last mile' to complete Tai'an's traffic network. Once completed, travel time between the northern and southern tribes will be reduced by 40 minutes, connecting tourist attractions such as Xueba, Xuewei, and Tai'an Hot Springs, while ensuring that disaster relief and medical resources can be deployed rapidly. Gu Minghong, Director of the Transportation and Public Works Department, explained that the project follows the principle of 'avoiding geological hazards' by adopting an elevated bridge design across the Dahu Creek valley. The project spans approximately 702 meters, including a 525-meter elevated bridge, minimizing slope excavation and interference with the natural environment.