By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — A plan to allow scooters to travel directly over the Nanzih Overpass (楠梓陸橋) has been delayed by safety concerns and possible conflicts with Taiwan Power Co. (台灣電力公司) utility lines, city officials said.
Kaohsiung City Councilor Huang Wen-chih (黃文志) raised the issue during a council session, saying the city had secured central government funding for dedicated north-south scooter access on the overpass, but the project appeared to have stalled.
Huang said the plan was expected to receive final approval by the end of July. He stated that the central government had approved NT$12 million in funding, including more than NT$9 million in subsidies. He warned that further delays could render the project more challenging and costly to implement.
Transportation Bureau (交通局) Director Chang Shu-chuan (張淑娟) said the city submitted preliminary plans last year and received initial approval, however, consultants later raised safety concerns during traffic safety discussions this year.
Chang said one concern was that allowing scooters traveling south to north to enter the overpass directly could create serious weaving conflicts with other traffic, and that the problem could not be solved simply by adding traffic signals.
She said a proposed ramp connecting directly to the Nanzih Overpass could also interfere with Taipower lines. Taipower would need to carry out test excavation, and if conflicts are confirmed, line relocation could take about six months and push costs beyond the original estimate.
