The site is within walking distance of Zuoying Station and a short drive from the HSR, Taiwan Railways, and Kaohsiung Metro transfer area at Zuoying, giving it one of the strongest transport locations in the city.

Ciaotou District (橋頭區) recorded the city’s fastest household-density growth, reaching 747 households per square kilometer, up about 11.2% over the past three years.

Lai said the latest poll was only a temporary indicator and that his campaign would continue strengthening local support. Ko’s campaign questioned the poll’s credibility, calling it a survey released by a “green think tank.” The contrast shows how polling sponsor, timing, wording, sampling, and method can shape results and how campaigns interpret them.

The project aimed to facilitate transfers between HSR and the Kaohsiung Metro. Passengers currently have to travel from the HSR platform level to the second-floor concourse, exit the station, then use escalators to reach the MRT station underground. The transfer can take nearly 10 minutes.

Nantzikeng Sports Center (楠仔坑運動中心) in Nanzih District (楠梓) began trial operations Sunday. During the trial period, the center is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The fitness center and swimming pool are closed for cleaning from noon to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

According to recent reporting, there are estimates that by 2051, daily passenger volume at the future HSR Pingtung station could exceed 7,000, with peak-hour traffic approaching 900 passengers. Supporters say the project would improve access to Pingtung and support wider development around the future station. But the latest traffic projections show that the benefits of high-speed rail will depend not only on the rail line itself, but also on whether local roads and connecting transport can keep pace.

The day’s larger theme was Taiwan’s maritime future. Cho said Taiwan’s technology sector and position in the Indo-Pacific have made it central to regional stability, adding that the country now has the confidence to “look at the world from Taiwan.” Taiwan, he said, should face the Pacific and the wider world rather than remain locked in a China-centered view.

The bridge began as a temporary railway bridge built in 2009 during Kaohsiung’s railway undergrounding project. After trains were moved underground in 2018, the tracks and overhead wires were removed, and the structure was converted into a riverside landscape bridge in 2021. Its planned removal now shows how the THSR extension is not just a regional transportation project, but a major urban construction challenge for Kaohsiung.

City Government launches public urban renewal project in Zuoying District’s Guomao area (左營果貿), with plans to attract NT$14.6 billion in investment and build five buildings.

The group said self-driving vehicles are unlikely to replace a city’s main public transportation network, but could improve first- and last-mile connections. It said city agencies would need to coordinate over the next two years on how robotaxis could serve major transit and tourism hubs, including the airport, harbor, rail stations, and visitor destinations.