Wed, May 25, 2011 page2

• Taipei targets 10 major roads for new plantings

  ‘GREEN BOULEVARDS’: Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said the city would plant more than 4,500 indigenous trees, including cherry trees, along major roadways

  • By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
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  A total of 35 major roads will be turned into “green boulevards” in the next four years, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday, describing plans to turn Taipei into a “garden city” with more than 4,500 trees along its roads.

  The Taipei City Government will prioritize planting 1,256 trees along 10 roads that are currently without trees, including Tiding Boulevard, part of Xinglong Road, Zhongshe Road and Beian Road, by the end of this year, according to the Parks and Street Lights Office.

  For the 25 roads and boulevards that already have trees, such as Renai, Xinyi and Dunhua, the city will either replace old trees with new ones or keep the trees well maintained.

  “Following the Taipei International Flora Expo, a growing number of Taipei residents expect Taipei to be more beautiful and so we will make Taipei a garden city through our green boulevard project,” Hau told a press conference at Taipei City Hall.

  Parks and Street Lights Office director Chen Jia-chin (陳嘉欽) said the city will budget NT$70 million (US$2.4 million) and plant 4,641 trees along the 35 roads by 2014, increasing the total number of roadside trees to 92,912.

  On Xinyi Road, for example, 1,988 trees will be planted after construction of the MRT Xinyi Line is completed next year. Chen said the city has also decided not to remove 286 banyan and autumn maple trees that were to be uprooted to make way for the construction.

  Chen said the city would select trees that are grown in Taiwan and have strong roots, or non-deciduous trees, so that they would suffer less damage during typhoon season.

  The city will also plant Taiwan cherry blossom trees and Crape myrtle trees as part of its efforts to add colors to the city’s scenery.

  Increasing the number of trees in the city was one of Hau’s campaign promises when he ran for re-election last year.

  The city government has formed a task force to implement the project. Horticultural and botany experts would be asked to help select the appropriate trees, Hau said.

  In need of green

  Ten major roads:

  Tiding Boulevard (堤頂大道)

  Xinglong Road, Sections 1 and 2 (興隆路一、二段)

  Zhongshe Road (中社路)

  Roosevelt Road, Sections 5 and 6 (羅斯福路五、六段)

  Xinhai Road (辛亥路)

  Xinyi Road (信義路)

  Nanjing E and W Roads (南京東西路)

  Jianguo N and S Roads (建國南北路)

  Xinsheng N and S Roads (新生南北路)

  Beian Road, Alley No. 501 (北安路501巷)

  Twenty-five other roads or public areas:

  Bei-an Road (北安路)

  Academia Road, Sections 1 and 2 (考試院路一、二段)

  Area surrounding Nangang Exhibition Center

  Zhi Shan Road, Section 3 (至善路三段)

  Renai Road (仁愛路)

  Zhongshan S Road (中山南路)

  Civic Boulevard, Section 5 (市民大道五段)

  Zhonghua Road (中華路)

  Aiguo W Road (愛國西路)

  Area surrounding Taipei Railway Station

  Area surrounding Taipei International Airport

  Area surrounding Taipei City Hall Plaza

  Area surrounding Dunhua Park

  Minquan E Road (民權東路)

  Xinzhong Road (行中路)

  Minquan W Road (民權西路)

  Chengde Road (承德路)

  Chongching N Road (重慶北路)

  Gugong Road (故宮路)

  Dunhua N and S Roads (敦化南北路)

  Minsheng E and W Roads (民生東西路)

  Zhongxiao E Road (忠孝東路)

  Hoping E and W Roads (和平東西路)

  Keelung Road (基隆路)

  Huanghe N and S Roads (環河南北路)
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