Dagang Bridge
◎Written by Huang Da-wei
◎English translation by Hou Ya-ting
◎Photos by Huang Jing-wen
Dagang Bridge is located in Yancheng District and was officially opened to the public this July. Constructed by Taiwan International Ports Corporation Ltd. Dagang Bridge connects Pier-2 Art Center with Peng-lai Harbor Commercial District. It has become the city's most attractive new landmark.
Before the bridge was built, pedestrians had to walk a kilometer from Pier-2 Art Center to Peng-lai Harbor Commercial District. However, with the construction of the bridge, it is now only a three-minute (110-meter) walk. Dagang Bridge is the first pedestrians only swing bridge in Taiwan. It rotates approximately 90 degrees, to allow boats through and then rotates back for pedestrians. It is open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and rotates once a day at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It also has an observation deck, which provides panoramic views of the port. It is situated in close proximity to Kaohsiung's Light Rail's Dayi Pier-2 Station, at the heart of Pier-2 on Dayi Street. Since the bridge is designated for pedestrians only, cyclists must walk their bicycles across.
Pier-2 Art Center is one of Taiwan's most prominent heritage sites. It was built to support small creative and cultural businesses that now operate out of beautifully renovated old warehouses. There are also several exhibition spaces, where visitors can enjoy cultural activities year round.
Nearby Pier-2 is Penglai Commercial Port area, which was developed by Taiwan International Ports Corporation Ltd., as an initiative to promote the area as a recreational and commercial district. From 1949 to 2018, Penglai Commercial Port area was a controlled access, military zone that was devoted to defending Kaohsiung. In December 2018, it was rezoned to become a commercial district. Now visitors can stroll from piers 1 to 10. Its two most popular sites are Kao Port Park and the KW2 Mall. Kao Port Park encompasses 14,256 square meters and has 50 million plants, which gives visitors the feeling of walking through a tropical garden. The KW2 Mall was constructed out of Kaohsiung Port Warehouse No. 2 (aka Jhan-2 Warehouse) and offers unobstructed ocean views, numerous restaurants, and shops that sell cultural and artistic products.