Freeway extension plan faces hurdlesBy Wu Liang-yi and Shelley Shan / Staff reportersExtending the Shuishalian Freeway (Freeway No. The proposed 88.9km corridor for the highway extension would link Nantou County’s Puli Township (埔里) and Jian Township (吉安) in Hualien County. 5 — to be 17.5km long, surpassing the 12.9km-long Hsuehshan Tunnel (雪山隧道), which connects New Taipei City and Yilan County on Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Freeway (Freeway No. The Nantou-Hualien corridor would pass to the west of Lushan geothermal area in Nantou County, which is where Yunhai Hot Spring (雲海溫泉) is. Some sections of the extension would have to be built at elevations of 1km to 2km above sea level, Chen said.

Source: Taipei Times March 14, 2026 17:13 UTC