The Taoyuan Department of Rapid Transit Systems broke ground yesterday on the Green Line of the Taoyuan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network, scheduled to start running in 2026 extending the Airport MRT, also known as the purple line.
According to the department, the new line would be 27.8km long, with stops at 21 stations — 10 underground and 11 elevated.
The budget for the line totals NT$98.2 billion (US$3.17 billion), with the city paying NT$39.7 billion and the central government footing the remainder, according to the department.
Photo: CNA
Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, which was attended by Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌).
Su praised Cheng for his persistence in seeking funding from the central government for the MRT system, and said that without a convenient transportation connection, it would be difficult for the city to further develop.
The department said the new line would run through Bade (八德) and Lujhu (蘆竹) districts in a north-south network and connect two stations on the Airport MRT — Kengkou (坑口, the A11 Station) and Hengshan (橫山, the A16 Station) once construction is completed.
The green line was named the “Aerotropolis line” because it would pass through the ambitious airport city project and connect to Taipei through the Airport MRT line, which connects Taipei Main Station with Taoyuan.
In addition to the Taoyuan MRT connection, the new line is also expected to link the unfinished Sanying line of the Taipei MRT to the Sansia (三峽) and Yingge (鶯歌) districts of New Taipei City.
The Sanying line, now under construction. is scheduled to start in 2023, so the green line would connect the city to Taipei and New Taipei City.
Taoyuan, home to factories and industrial parks, has in recent years attracted Taipei workers seeking more affordable housing.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
RSS