By RK Shih/Staff. Images via Liberty Times.
KAOHSIUNG — Just as residents have gotten used to the end of major construction around the main train station, it’s about to start all over again. The proposed plan, which some have called the “Kaohsiung Solution” (高雄方案), for the High-Speed Rail (HSR) southward extension will generate an average of 160 gravel truck trips per day through Sanmin District (三民區). While the exact duration of the project remains undetermined pending a second-stage environmental impact assessment, Kaohsiung City Councilor Cheng Meng-ju (鄭孟洳) warned Tuesday that the scale of excavation will create a multi-year logistical burden for the city.
Impact of the “Cut-and-Cover” Project:
- Massive excavation: The 2.4-kilometer “cut-and-cover” (明挖段) section north of Kaohsiung Station involves 5.48 million cubic meters of earthwork.
- Truck volume: Project data suggests the excavation will result in several hundred thousand total truck trips over the life of the construction.
- Traffic shocks: Major thoroughfares, including Jiuru Road (九如路), Jianguo Road (建國路), and Minzu Road (民族路) will face significant daily disruptions.
- Safety concerns: The high volume of heavy vehicle traffic poses a direct risk to students in the surrounding school zones.
Demand for Oversight: Councilor Cheng has called on the city government to establish a “traffic service bottom line” that would trigger work stoppages or diversions if congestion becomes too severe. She further insisted on mandatory GPS tracking for all construction vehicles and a demerit system for traffic violations.
Due to the long-term nature of the expected disruption, the councilor suggested the city follow an “airport noise compensation model” to provide residents with annual living allowances for electricity and air filtration costs. The project’s timeline remains further complicated by a legislative stalemate that has stalled the related central government budget for 229 days.
