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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taipei prioritizing MRT circular line, Ko says
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je gestures while presenting a report to the Taipei City Council yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je （柯文哲） yesterday said that pushing forward the Taipei Metro circular line would be his government’s first priority, while the planned Minsheng-Xizhi Mass Rapid Transit （MRT） line between Taipei and New Taipei City would need further negotiations.
Ko made the remarks while presenting a report to the Taipei City Council on major construction projects, including the circular line, Minsheng-Xizhi line and Wanda MRT line, Taipei Twin Towers, the Taipei Dome, the Taipei Performing Arts Center and the Taipei Music Center, as well as several public housing and traditional market renovation projects.
The Wanda line project is progressing smoothly, and is expected to be finished by the end of 2025 with operations beginning in the first half of 2026, Ko said.
The contracts for the construction of the circular line’s south and north sections are to be handed out next year, with operations beginning by 2029, while the contract for the planning of its east section was negotiated last month, he said.
The Minsheng-Xizhi line has not been approved by the Environmental Protection Administration yet, and as there are other projects planned near the line, it should be negotiated with the central government and the New Taipei City Government before the comprehensive planning stage can begin, Ko said.
The Minsheng-Xizhi line is not a priority, because the Keelung River Valley Traffic Integration project is in that area, which includes the Keelung light-rail project connecting Taipei to Yilan and even a proposal to extend the High-Speed Rail from Taipei to Yilan, he said.
The projects must be discussed first, because they cannot all be constructed at the same time, he said, adding that it is his understanding that Taipei plans to prioritize circular line.
Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Kao Chia-yu （高嘉瑜） asked the mayor when construction on the Minsheng-Xizhi line might begin.
Ko said he did not know, and then said “yes,” when Kao asked if he meant it was “not within the foreseeable future.”
As the circular line would better connect Taipei to New Taipei City, he has mentioned to New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi （侯友宜） the idea of applying to hold the 2030 Asian Games together, Ko said.
Taipei City Councilor Chen Chien-ming （陳建銘） asked whether the Taipei Dome might be finished before Ko’s second mayoral term ends next year.
Ko said it is possible, but there are still many problems to be solved, and that the contractor, Farglory Group （遠雄集團）, needs to “get better grades in the exam.”
The seventh urban planning review meeting to assess Farglory’s modified plans for the Taipei Dome was held by the Taipei Department of Urban Development yesterday.
Falgory failed to pass some emergency evacuation simulation scenarios at the previous review in August.
Department of Urban Planning Commissioner Huang Ching-mao （黃景茂） said that Farglory has accepted the city government’s suggestion that it modify its design further, so those at the meeting agreed that the modified design would pass the disaster prevention and evacuation simulation review.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
