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Taipei City, County back MRT orbital extension proposal

The Taipei City Government yesterday confirmed that it will proceed with plans to build a new MRT line extension that would connect Dazhi (大直) and Neihu (內湖) in the north of the city with Guangfu Road, Keelung Road, National Taiwan University and Jhonghe (中和) in Taipei County.

The Taipei City Government's Department of Rapid Transit Systems is working with the Taipei County Government to build an MRT orbital line that will connect the network's radial lines.

Original route

The original route for the orbital line, which will connect MRT lines at Muzha (木柵), Sindian (新店), Jhonghe, Banciao (板橋), Sinjhuang (新莊), Lujhou (蘆洲), Shilin (士林) and Neihu, would bring these vital locations closer together, department official Tom Chang (常崎德) told a press conference yesterday.

The first 15.4km phase of the orbital line, which will start in Sindian, then pass through Jhonghe, Banciao and Sinjhuang cities before terminating at Wugu Township (五股) at the MRT line connecting Taipei to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, is scheduled to open in 2014.

The department and the county government, however, have agreed that the line should extend south from its original terminus for the Neihu Line in Dazhi and connect the city's east-west lines before terminating in Jhonghe.

Priority

Chang said the department and the county government would make development of the extension of the orbital a priority.

But Chang said that Taipei City Government would provide only construction and workforce assistance, not cash, for the first 15.4km phase of construction.

As the eastern extension requires NT$200 million (US$6 million) for planning alone, the county and city governments will need to apply for a central government funding, he said.
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