Traffic chaos expected at mall opening

An estimated 50,000 shoppers will descend on the Taipei 101 Mall, at the base of the world's tallest building, on its opening day next Friday.

Worried that the influx of people will cause traffic mayhem and strain the building's untested public security system, a group of Taipei City councilors yesterday visited the mall accompanied by city government bureau chiefs.

"The city government should be fully alert about the opening of the Taipei 101 Mall since an estimated 50,000 shoppers will swarm into the new shopping center," said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Councilor Chen Yung-te (陳永德). "Citizens' safety should be the top priority and the convenience of transportation and parking should be well organized."

The heads of the city's Fire Department, Bureau of Public Works, Bureau of Transportation and Taipei City Police Headquarters briefed Chen and other members of the city council's Police and Hygiene Affairs Committee on the emergency measures that had been prepared for the opening.

The councilors said that they were satisfied with the five fire drills that had been held by the end of last month but that they were concerned about the possible traffic chaos that streams of people and cars would cause.

Bureau of Transportation Director Lin Chih-ying (林志盈) said the bureau would strengthen traffic controls and patrol tow-away zones more strictly for the mall's opening.

"We encourage shoppers to take advantage of public transportation like the MRT and buses to Taipei 101 Mall to avoid parking problems," Lin said.

Free buses will run every minute between Taipei City Hall MRT station and the mall and the parking fee will be raised from NT$30 to NT$50 per hour to dissuade people from taking their cars, Lin said.

However, Democratic Progressive Party Councilor Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) said the city government was dealing poorly with the problem.

"Actually the traffic controls should have been worked out before the Taipei 101 Mall was built, yet the city government put the cart before the horse," Hsu said.

He said the same problem had occurred when the Taipei World Trade Center was built, with traffic clogging the roads during large exhibitions.

Hsu also took issue with the facilities for the disabled.

Tang Feng-cheng (唐峰正), a member of the Association of Caring for the Disabled (中華勵殘協會) who accompanied Hsu, sat in a wheelchair to test the handicapped facilities in the shopping center. Tang said there was no handrail for disabled people to use in the restroom and the door was difficult to open.

"Actually the restrooms are still under construction" said Lin Hong-ming (林鴻明), president of Taipei 101 Mall. "I promise this four-story shopping center will be furnished with complete handicapped facilities when it opens."