The Taipei-Ilan Expressway, which runs from Nankang in Taipei through to Toucheng in Ilan, is officially a section of National Highway No. 5 (to run from Nankang to Taitung), and runs for 55 kilometers. Currently, the trip from eastern Taipei to Toucheng via Shihting and Pinglin takes roughly half an hour--that's a saving of almost an hour and a half over the old highway, and means that Ilan is now being drawn into the greater Taipei community.

The most impressive section of the expressway is the 12.9-km Hsuehshan Tunnel, which is the second longest tunnel in Asia and fifth longest in the world. The tunnel cuts through the Hsuehshan Mountains, and the risk of cave-ins and large amounts of groundwater in the mountains meant completion of the tunnel was delayed considerably.

On June 16 current premier Su Tseng-chang and former premiers Yu Shyi-kun and Frank Hsieh attended a ceremony to celebrate the completion of this monumental project and remember the 12 Taiwanese and 13 Thai laborers who lost their lives during construction. Additionally, over 200 businesspeople came together at the invitation of the county government to for a bustling week of tourism promotions.

Once the expressway was opened, throngs of people took the trip through to Ilan, and this massive popularity saw as many as 34,000 cars traveling through each day, rising to 50,000 at the weekends, leading to many people's first impression of the expressway being one of traffic jams.

Out of considerations for public safety, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications set strict restrictions on motorists, such as that vehicles must maintain a 50 meter distance from one another and must observe a speed limit of 70 km/h, with anyone going so much as 1 km/h over the limit subject to a fine. Are these traffic jams causing the temperature and carbon monoxide levels in the tunnel to rise dangerously high? What will happen in the event of fire? Questions such as these have received much attention from the public, however the long-term impacts of the expressway on Ilan and its surroundings are much more worthy of attention.

Scholars believe that the geographical separation Ilan has enjoyed has helped it develop a unique character, which includes its focus on its environment and culture, helping it stand out from other counties and cities around Taiwan. Now that the gate to Ilan has been flung open, will that unique character and atmosphere gradually be lost as the area is assimilated?

And what about the economy? Before the expressway was opened, real estate prices in Ilan were already starting to soar, and the Ilan County Government, hoping to promote a "live in Ilan, work in Taipei" ideal, is encouraging commuters to look at Ilan as "Taipei's back yard." However, scholars are concerned that with Ilan's high rate of unemployment, this new ease of travel between Taipei and Ilan may lead to an exodus of young people from Ilan.

Ilan is proud of its culture, and with the opening of the expressway, the county's traditional foods and Chiaohsi hot springs area have grown in popularity, even starting to challenge Taipei County's own hot springs areas of Chinshan and Wulai. But the people of Ilan are concerned that now they're so close to Taipei, visitors from that city will just make day trips or make Ilan a brief stopover on the way toward Hualien and Taitung, meaning fewer and fewer people will be staying the night in Ilan. To this end, some guesthouses and hotels have started renovating, converting to hot springs resorts in preparation for any major changes in the market.

Economic and social impact aside, the Taipei-Ilan Expressway is a spiritual successor to the Central and Southern Cross-Island Highways; all illustrating man's determination to overcome natural obstacles. However, if the environment along the expressway is not subject to strict protection, this new project may well end up in the same position as the Central Cross-Island Highway--collapsing after heavy rains, and ruined beyond repair. Once the opening festivities have died down, we must bear this issue in mind and keep an eye on the state of the expressway.