Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) yesterday proposed a 10-year road network plan for Shilin (士林) and Beitou (北投) districts to avoid creating traffic congestion problems similar to those affecting Neihu District (內湖).
Technology and business developments in Neihu have been successful over the past few years, but the district now faces transportation problems due to poor traffic planning that lacked vision, Chen said.
Shilin is home to the Beitou Shilin Science Park (北投士林科技園區) and large tracts of undeveloped land, which are expected to become a new prosperous area, so his team is proposing a traffic plan for Shilin and Beitou to avoid the mistakes made in Neihu, he said.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
Chen said the plan consists of three parts: extending the elevated section of the Zhoumei Expressway (洲美快速道路) to connect it with the Sun Yat-sen Freeway (Freeway No. 1) to the south and with Chengde Road (承德路) intersection to the north.
The second part comprises elevating the Bailing Bridge (百齡橋) to allow for sufficient clearance over the river.
The third part would consist of widening Tonghe East (通河東) and Tonghe West (通河西) streets underneath the bridge into four-lane roads, he added.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan Professional Civil Engineers’ Association director Chuang Chun-wei (莊均緯) said extending the elevated Zhoumei Expressway southward could help motorists avoid three frequently congested intersections along Huanhe North Road (環河北路) and help relieve the flow of traffic from Beitou to downtown Taipei.
Elevating the Bailing Bridge 3m can improve flood controls, and provide more space for vehicles traveling along Tonghe East and Tonghe West streets, he said, adding that trees can be planted along the broadened street to create a green corridor.
Chen said construction could take six or seven years, adding that if he is elected, he would submit the plan for review and implement it in his first term.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei
He said he believes a responsible government should “plant the trees under which the next generation can rest,” so even if the project would take more than two mayoral terms to complete, he would still do what is good for the city.
Separately on Saturday, Chen said he would not host the annual Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum if he is elected, as the event did not accomplish anything meaningful and might send the wrong message to the international community.
Independent Taipei mayoral candidate and former Taipei deputy mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said Chen often changes his words.
The forum has been held for 10 years, and includes negotiations and exchanges on many aspects, she said, adding that the most important function of the forum is to keep a channel of communication between the two cities.
Peace, economic prosperity and people are the three principles she would use to consider whether the forum should be held, she said.
Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator and Taipei mayoral candidate Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), who welcomed the arrival of his second child in July last year, yesterday confirmed his wife is pregnant with their third child.
Additional reporting by CNA
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