Houtong Cat Bridge Introduction
The Houtong Cat Bridge, originally constructed in 1970 by Taiwan Railways at Houtong Railway Station, served as an overpass for residents of the Guangfu neighborhood to access. Since 2009, Houtong has gained fame as "Cat Village," attracting a steady stream of visitors who use this overpass to travel between the cat village and the coal mine park. In response to residents' feedback about the old and narrow overpass, the New Taipei City government decided to renovate it. Starting in 2012, they planned the "Houtong Railway Station Cat Village Overpass" renovation project, incorporating suggestions from local residents and featuring designs that reflect the unique characteristics of Cat Village, along with elements related to local coal mines, cats, and tunnels. The unique "Cat Bridge" showcases cat footprints, photos, and illustrations within the structure and has platforms designed specifically for cats to traverse and jump. The bridge's exterior resembles a playful cat, spanning between the train station and the cat village. The Houtong Cat Bridge, a landmark shared by both people and cats, received the Golden Quality Award for Public Works in 2013, becoming one of the representative landmarks of Houtong Cat Village. Due to Houtong's humid climate, some components of the bridge began to show signs of rust and deterioration ten years after its inauguration. As a result, the New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department conducted repair work, reinforcing the bridge's structure, updating the steel beams and painted aluminum plates, removing rust and repainting components, improving internal lighting, and restoring cat platforms and benches. The bridge is scheduled to reopen for use in March 2025.
