According to local officials, well-developed public transport accelerates economic growth and enhances the cityscape while reducing car accidents and traffic congestion. A major target of expansion is Kaohsiung’s world-class metro system, which currently boasts two Mass Rapid Transit lines and one Light Rail Transit line.
Efforts are progressing apace, with the opening of nine new LRT stations Jan. 12. Urban planners aim to double the line’s length by 2023, and when complete, the light rail will completely encircle the downtown area.
The system is set to be further enhanced by a third MRT route currently under review by the central government. Construction is planned to begin by the end of 2022.
Kaohsiung MRT Bureau Director General Wu Yei-long
According to Wu Yei-long, head of Kaohsiung City Government’s MRT Bureau, the upcoming MRT line should substantially increase ridership as it will greatly increase the system’s accessibility. By 2031, the combined MRT and LRT network’s ridership is expected to rise to an average of 660,000 riders per day from its current 180,000, he added.
Another major goal of public transport authorities is to link suburban areas to the MRT, a step critical to the metropolis’s continued economic development. To this end, a northern extension is being built to serve Gangshan District, home to Benzhou Industrial Park, and Luzhu District, the location of Kaohsiung Science Park, as well as Hunei District, from which a future line has been proposed to connect neighboring Tainan’s Southern Taiwan Science Park.
The MRT system is a key driver of urban development in Kaohsiung.
An additional route to southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County is also under consideration. The goal is to encourage integrated regional development by shaping an intercity tech corridor, Wu said.
Though extending lines so far from city centers requires a significant amount of time and resources, officials know that a well-designed metro system brings a degree of speed and convenience unmatched by other public transportation options. For farsighted administrators like Wu, expanding metro networks is the optimal way to maximize a city’s developmental potential while creating an accessible and sustainable urban environment for all inhabitants. (E) (By Pat Gao)
The entrance of Kaohsiung MRT’s Central Park Station is shaded by a large canopy.
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
(This article is adapted from “Full Spead Ahead” in the March/April 2021 issue of Taiwan Review. The Taiwan Review archives dating to 1951 are available online.)