View source for Central Cross-Island Highway

{{Short description|Highway system in Taiwan}}
{{expand Chinese|topic=transp|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox road
|country=TWN
|type=PH
|route=8
|alternate_name=Central Cross-Island Highway ({{lang|zh|中部橫貫公路}})
|maint=
|map=TW PHW8 maps.svg
|map_notes=
|map_custom=
|length_km= 189.8
|length_ref=
|length_notes=
|established=
|decommissioned=
|direction_a= West
|terminus_a= {{jct|country=TWN|PH|3}} in [[Dongshi District|Dongshi, Taichung]]
|beltway_city=
|junction=
|direction_b= East
|terminus_b= {{jct|country=TWN|PH|9}} in [[Xincheng, Hualien]]
|counties=
|cities=
|previous_type=PH
|previous_route=7
|next_type=PH
|next_route=9
|browse=
}}

[[Image:Central_Cross-Island_Highway.png|thumb|200px|Central Cross-Island Highway (in red and blue). The route colored blue is permanently closed due to earthquake and typhoon damage.]]
[[Image:Taiwan 2009 HuaLien Taroko Gorge Narrow Gap and Road PB140025.jpg|thumb|150px]]

The '''Central Cross-Island Highway''' ({{zh|t=中部橫貫公路}}) or '''Provincial Highway 8''' is one of three highway systems that connect the west coast with the east of [[Taiwan]].

==Construction==

The construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway began on July 7, 1956 and was first opened to traffic on May 9, 1960.

==Route==

[[Image:Taiwan 2009 HuaLien Taroko Gorge Temple FRD 6719.jpg|thumb|right]]

The route of the highway begins in the west at [[Dongshi District]] in [[Taichung]]. The highway originally continued up into the [[Central Mountain Range]] following the [[Dajia River]] valley through the townships of [[Guguan (hot spring)|Guguan]] (谷關) and Qingshan (青山). However, the section between Guguan and Lishan is permanently closed to non-residents due to earthquake and typhoon damage. At Lishan there is a branch that heads north to [[Yilan City]]. Passing through the mountains it reaches [[Dayuling]] (大禹嶺) which is the highest point of the route. Here another branch of the highway runs south from Dayuling to [[Puli, Nantou|Puli]] via [[Wuling (mountain pass)|Wuling]] (武嶺). Continuing east from Dayuling the highway route now begins its descent into the [[Taroko National Park]]. It passes through [[Guanyuan]] (關原), [[Ci'en]] (慈恩), [[Luoshao]] (洛韶) and {{Interlanguage link multi|Tianxiang|zh|3=天祥_(台灣)}} before entering [[Taroko Gorge]]. After the gorge the route then connects with the eastern coastal [[Suhua Highway]].

==Highway damage and closure==
The highway route runs through exceedingly rugged and unstable terrain. Heavy rain from typhoons often dislodge soil and rocks onto the highway making sections of it impassable. As well, the area is prone to seismic activity which can have disastrous effects on the highway. On September 21, 1999 the [[1999 Jiji earthquake|Jiji earthquake]] caused massive damage to the highway and cut the highway in multiple places between Guguan and Lishan.

Following the unprecedented damage to the highway in 1999, there was strong debate on the feasibility and desirability of maintaining and repairing the highway. Extensive and costly repairs proceeded, and earthquake-damaged sections of the highway were due to be re-opened in 2004. However, torrential rains from [[2004 Pacific typhoon season#Typhoon Mindulle (Igme)|Typhoon Mindulle]] caused further damage to the highway, forcing the affected section between Guguan and Lishan to be closed to non-residents indefinitely.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/03/09/2003527360 | title= Central Cross-Island Highway travel hours to increase | last=Shan | first=Shelley | work=Taipei Times | date=March 9, 2012 | access-date=April 8, 2017}}</ref> While Provincial Highway 8 no longer provides a continuous route across the island, travelers from the west can use [[Provincial Highway 14 (Taiwan)|Provincial Highway 14]] and [[Provincial Highway 14 (Taiwan)|Provincial Highway 14A]] to connect with Provincial Highway 8 in the east.

On November 16, 2018, the section between Guguan and Lishan re-opened to limited traffic. 3 medium-sized busses are scheduled to run the route (back and forth) each day but no ordinary private vehicle traffic is allowed.<ref>{{cite web |last1=RTI English |title=Road closed by 921 quake reopens after 19 years |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-T4fmGGiA4  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/G-T4fmGGiA4 |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|website=YouTube |accessdate=22 January 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Taiwan_Central_Cross-Island_Highway_Entrance.jpg|Entrance of Central Cross-Island Highway
Image:Taiwan 2009 HuaLien Taroko Gorge Biking FRD 5416 Pano Extracted.jpg|Bicycling uphill at [[Taroko National Park|Taroko Gorge]]
Image:Taiwan 2009 HuaLien Taroko Gorge Biking PB160057.jpg|Bicyclists share narrow roads with motor vehicles
Image:Taiwan 2009 HuaLien Taroko Gorge FRD 5467.jpg|Protection from waterfalls
Image:Taiwan 2009 HuaLien Taroko Gorge FRD 5527 Pano Extracted.jpg|Gorge views
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Highway system in Taiwan]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|Central Cross-Island Highway}}
* Search [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=+site:www.taipeitimes.com+%22central+cross-island+highway%22 Taipei Times newspaper archives] for references to the highway

{{Taiwan Provincial Highways}}

[[Category:Highways in Taiwan]]