Completion of Guofu Road Drainage Channel Improvement Project Enhances Drainage Safety and Creates a Livable Environment

The Kaohsiung Water Resources Bureau discovered that the existing drainage ditches along Guofu Road in Fengshan District had been affected by heavy rains and strong downpours for a long time, leading to aging of the embankment structures. Some sections had damage and erosion of the foundations, which not only affected drainage functions but also posed a risk to the safety of nearby roads and pedestrians. To prevent the disaster from escalating, the Water Resources Bureau actively sought disaster preparedness funds from the central government to carry out the drainage channel improvement project to maintain drainage safety.

According to the Water Resources Bureau, this project received 5.08 million NT dollars in disaster preparedness funds from the central government. The channels were improved using the three-sided construction method, with a new channel width of 2.5 meters and an average depth of approximately 1.45 meters, improving a total length of approximately 106 meters. During the construction period, the bureau took into account drainage needs and the impact on surrounding traffic, properly arranged the construction procedures, and strengthened quality control to ensure that the project was completed on time and to the required quality. The entire project was completed in June 2024, effectively enhancing the channel's flood capacity and the stability of the embankment structure.

The Water Resources Bureau explained that, in addition to improving the structure of the drainage channels, considering that the channels are adjacent to parks and residential activity spaces, the bureau also improved the surrounding environment during the construction period and renovated the existing bridges to improve the convenience of pedestrian routes and usage. This made the overall environment safer and more aesthetically pleasing. In the future, the Water Resources Bureau will continue to carry out inspections and maintenance of drainage facilities within its jurisdiction and promptly carry out improvement projects to enhance the resilience of the drainage system, creating a safe and livable living environment and protecting the lives and property of citizens.

Additionally, the Water Resources Bureau continues to inspect road culverts and discovered that the existing culverts on Renai Road in Qieding District have structural damage and impaired drainage functions. The bureau is actively carrying out repair work on these two projects with a total budget of approximately 8.22 million NT dollars. The repair lengths are 8 meters (four-cell culvert, W=16m) and 24 meters (double-cell culvert, W=6m), respectively. The projects aim to strengthen the structure and improve water flow to reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rains.

The Water Resources Bureau stated that Qieding District is flat and located near the coast, with drainage mainly relying on rainwater drainage systems and culverts that converge into the Qieding Main Drain. Renai Road is one of the important transportation arteries in Qieding District, not only connecting major settlements and living functions within the district but also serving as an important transportation route for residents' daily commuting. In recent years, short-duration heavy rainfall events have increased, and some aging culverts, due to their long service life, have shown signs of deterioration, sedimentation, or insufficient water flow cross-sections, affecting drainage efficiency. This project will carry out structural reinforcement, internal dredging, partial cross-section improvement, and connection to the existing drainage system to enhance overall drainage performance.

The Water Resources Bureau reminds that during the construction period, traffic maintenance measures will be implemented according to the on-site situation. When passing through the construction sections of Renai Road, please pay attention to the on-site instructions, slow down, and change routes in advance if necessary. The two projects are expected to be completed by the end of August and the end of November, respectively. The city government will continue to inventory drainage bottlenecks and aging culverts in various districts and gradually promote improvement projects to enhance urban flood resilience and resident living safety.