Before the opening of the railway, Wutar's only link with the outside world was the narrow Suao-Hualien Highway, which is frequently blocked by landslides during typhoons, earthquakes and downpours.
過去南澳鄉對外交通全靠蘇花公路，但是蘇花公路所經路線離各村落都有一大段距離，而且每逢颱風、地震、豪雨侵襲之時，經常造成坍方，無法全線通車。