Hopes were high among city officials and downtown Taipei shop-owners yesterday that the opening of the new MRT line today will give small business on Chunghsiao East Road a boost.
"We hope that opening the line will bring more business than ever to the Tinghao area," said Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) chairman Lee Po-wen (
The plaza, located in the busy Tinghao shopping district at the northeast corner of Chunghsiao East and Ta-an roads, has been separated from the main pedestrian sidewalk for over two years while construction of the station was being completed.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
The TRTC has given the Tinghao Plaza to the city for use as a space for cultural activities, said Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
Road and traffic conditions on the stretch of Chunghsiao East Road between Tunhua and Fuh-sing roads should benefit from decreased construction in the area, Ma said.
"Whenever I drive down Chung-hsiao East Road, my head hits the roof of my car," he said.
Local businesspeople said they were pleased to see construction end and a new open space added to the crowded district.
"I'm happy that there will be less dust and noise in the area," said Chang Ya-hui (張雅惠), manager of a clothing and accessories store at the north end of the plaza.
The debris and dividing walls that sectioned off the site also obscured her shop from pedestrians, she said, estimating the loss in sales because of MRT construction at 50 percent.
"Our business has all gone to Hsimenting since they built the new pedestrian walkways there ... People like to have a place to relax when they're shopping," she said.
The new MRT and an open area for shoppers to congregate should help business considerably, she said.
Head of business development for the TRTC, Hsu Wan-teh (3萬得), estimated the new MRT line would improve business in the Tinghao area by 20 to 30 percent.
Chang and other area shopkeepers said Hsu's estimate was realistic, but that more needed to be done for the area.
"Buses are pretty convenient, and the MRT should help, but parking and the sidewalks are a mess," she said.
On the sidewalk across Chung-hsiao East Road from the Tinghao Plaza yesterday, MRT workers spent most of the day clearing piles of debris and laying concrete tiles.
"It looks like it's not finished, but it's ready to go," TRTC president Richard Chen (
Hsu said construction work on the 93-shop pedestrian mall should be finished by March or April.
The section from Taipei City Government to Lungshan Temple opens to the public at 9:30am today.
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