Browsing: Kaohsiung transportation

The civic Facebook page 高雄好過日 (@takaogooday) reported that NT$150 million has been secured for the restoration of the Imperial Crown-style old station building (帝冠車站), with the Kaohsiung City Bureau of Cultural Affairs (高雄市政府文化局) expected to handle the project on behalf of Taiwan Railway Corp. The project is expected to be tendered as early as July, with restoration taking about 18 months to two years and possible completion in 2028, according to the post. The restoration funding and timeline were also reported by Yahoo News, citing local reporting.

Local officials argue that Fongshan, Kaohsiung’s most populous district with over 350,000 residents, should be considered as a future transport hub. Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) and several Fongshan representatives previously suggested that a high-speed rail station could be integrated with the existing Taiwan Railways Fongshan Station (鳳山車站).

Officials say the plan was expected to receive final approval by the end of July, with the central government approving NT$12 million in funding, including more than NT$9 million in subsidies.

Motorcyclists are calling on Kaohsiung officials to change traffic rules at the Y-shaped intersection of Jhongjheng 1st Road (中正一路) and Sanduo 1st Road (三多一路) near Weiwuying (衛武營), saying the current two-stage turn requirement is inefficient and creates safety conflicts.

Police said driving while fatigued is believed to be the main cause of the crash, but a city inspection also pointed to a familiar mix of illegal scooter parking, limited pedestrian space, and road design problems around the site.

Residents in Fongshan District (鳳山區) are calling for a planned Kaohsiung MRT Yellow Line station to be named Cilaoye (七老爺 – Qīlǎoyé), saying the historic place name should be preserved as the line expands into the area.

The long-delayed National Freeway No. 7 project is showing new signs of movement, with parts of the 23-kilometer Kaohsiung route entering the tendering process after years of planning, environmental review, and local opposition.

The Highway Bureau said plans call for the expressway to run about 22.6 kilometers from the Zuoying High Speed Rail Station (高鐵左營站) area, passing National Freeways No. 7 and No. 10 before crossing the Kaoping River and connecting with National Freeway No. 3. The four-lane route is planned to include three system interchanges and five local ramps.

The Liberty Times reports that Kaohsiung has 68 road sections or intersections equipped with automated traffic enforcement systems. From January to March, the Jhongjheng 1st Road location recorded 1,883 violations, the highest in the city.

Aubs Takisvilainan (阿布斯), head of Kaohsiung’s Indigenous Affairs Commission, said many residents farm on the mountainside across from the bridge, growing green plums, red-fleshed plums, and high-mountain vegetables. He said the wider bridge will make it safer and easier for trucks and transport vehicles to move in and out, increasing shipping capacity and helping local industries.