PINGTUNG (TVBS News) — Pingtung officials estimated the repair costs for the dislocated iconic archway of the Kenting National Forest Recreation Area (墾丁國家森林遊樂區) near Kenting Street (墾丁大街) at approximately NT$150,000. Authorities will seek compensation from the responsible party once identified.
A vehicle collided with the iconic archway of the recreation area on Tuesday (Feb. 4), but its driver fled the scene, prompting immediate traffic safety measures, according to the Pingtung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (林業保育署屏東分署).
The accident, reported by local residents, led Hengchun Police Precinct (恆春警分局) to discover that the archway's decorative steel plate had been dislocated. Police are currently investigating the driver involved. Despite the damage, park operations continue without disruption. Officials plan to evaluate the archway's maintenance and the potential installation of warning signs considering its environmental and cultural significance.
Workers removed the deformed steel plate Wednesday afternoon to restore traffic flow. They intend to reinstall the plate after repairs to protect the archway's structure. The archway, over 50 years old, was widened in 2004 to accommodate larger vehicles, marking the first incident of this nature since the modification.