Jiaoyou Cycling Trail Introduction
Bike the Wind! Come recharge at the Jiayou Bike Path! The Jiayou Bike Path is constructed using the idle old railway of CPC Corporation, Taiwan, starting next to the CPC plant on Section 4 of Shih Hsien Road in Chiayi City, passing through Meiyuan, Guanglu, Shizi, and Hongwawacuo Village, as well as Sanhe, Xialiao, and Huiguai Villages in Shuishang Township. It reaches the Tropic of Cancer Plaza at the northern tropic station, spanning 3,500 meters, and is planned as a dedicated bicycle path and scenic green corridor to enhance leisure and tourism resources in Chiayi City. The newly planned scenic greenbelt features 2-meter-wide bike paths on either side of the original railway, with resting pavilions, wetland ecology, and lotus ponds set up according to the terrain and hydrology along the route. Medium-sized and small-sized trees, as well as tall and short shrubs, are planted alongside the bike path, and entrance flower arches are installed at important road intersections to meet the multifunctional needs of ecology, aesthetics, tourism, and recreation. The Jiayou Bike Path is a remnant of the "Chiayi Chemical Plant," making it a rare industrial relic in Taiwan with a unique historical background, and a valuable cultural landscape resource. Through careful planning, the Chiayi City Government has given new life to the old railway, constructing it as a dedicated bike path and a walking path for the public. Citizens voted to name it the "Jiayou Bike Path." The entire route runs through urban areas, rural neighborhoods, and farmland, presenting an elegant and pleasant landscape, a friendly environment, and great tourism appeal, making it an excellent destination for family leisure and sightseeing. "Chiayi Chemical Plant" History Mini Encyclopedia: The Chiayi Chemical Plant was established in 1938 during the Japanese occupation by Taiwan Trading Company, using sweet potatoes as raw materials to produce butanol, propanol, and ethanol, and was the largest fermentation-based butanol plant in the world at the time. In 1942, a dedicated railway was constructed to connect with the main trunk line of the Cross-Island Railway. It produced isooctane from butanol for use as aviation gasoline, and during World War II, the Chiayi Chemical Plant became an important secret fuel base for Japan. The solvents it produced were transported via the dedicated railway to the trunk railway and then shipped to Kaohsiung Port for transport to Japan. Location established: April 12, 2008
