The city will announce rental details on July 27, and applications will be accepted from Aug. 6 to Aug. 25. Applicants must be adult ROC citizens who either have household registration in Kaohsiung or study or work in the city. Household members must not own a home in Kaohsiung, and the average monthly income per household member must not exceed NT$59,395.

The Cijin Ferry Terminal has reopened after a renovation aimed at improving passenger flow, public facilities, and the nighttime appearance of one of Kaohsiung’s busiest tourist gateways.

The average number of registered residents per home fell to a new low of 2.77 during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting Kaohsiung’s declining population and changing household structure.

Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) said the project forms part of a wider effort to develop Gangshan as a northern Kaohsiung administrative and technology center, supported by MRT expansion and nearby industrial parks.

Light rail ridership exceeded 7.21 million trips during the first half of 2026, rising from 6.66 million during the same period last year, according to Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp. The total was also higher than the 6.58 million passenger trips recorded during the first six months of 2024.

Jhongjheng Road was once known as Kaohsiung’s “financial street,” Mayor Chen said. The city hopes the redevelopment, together with nearby projects, will help revive the old city center and strengthen demand for A-grade office space. The former council building was completed in 1966 and served as an important site for Kaohsiung’s local politics before the 2010 city-county merger. After the merger, the city council moved to its current location in Fongshan District (鳳山).

The bridge had been expected to open by the end of June. The bureau said rain from the outer bands of Typhoon Mekkhala (米克拉) delayed some important work at the site. Officials said the bridge is now expected to be fully open to traffic by mid-July if work proceeds smoothly, adding that safety and construction quality would take priority.

For the long term, Lai said the city should evaluate a 24-hour offshore airport near the waters off the Nansing Project Area (南星計畫區). He said an offshore site could reduce the effect of nighttime takeoffs and landings on urban neighborhoods while supporting international cargo and long-haul routes.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications Freeway Bureau (交通部高速公路局) on Wednesday issued a second tender for the C705S Siaogang section (小港路段), with a budget of more than NT$17.9 billion. The section is considered important because it is near the port end of the planned freeway, which is intended to improve freight movement and reduce congestion on National Freeway No. 1 and major roads in Greater Kaohsiung.

Kaohsiung is reviewing plans to extend its MRT network farther east, with future routes aimed at improving connections to Jiuqutang Station (九曲堂站), Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (佛光山佛陀紀念館), Dashu (大樹), and Cishan (旗山).