Browsing: Kaohsiung transportation

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.

The G7 has a suggested price of NT$125,800, which puts it well above the price of many standard white-plate scooters. Kymco is trying to sell it as a more premium model, with stronger performance, extra safety features, and a more advanced design.

The project is important for many in both Tainan and Kaohsiung, as traffic on National Freeway 1 continues to worsen. A diversion plan similar to the “stacked on top” Wuyang Elevated Highway in northern Taiwan has reportedly been evaluated for the Tainan-Kaohsiung corridor but deemed unworkable, leaving the Route 61 extension as one of the main long-term alternatives for traffic relief.

Officials said the new camera enforcement sites are mostly in busy areas with heavy pedestrian traffic and a higher risk of accidents, especially near schools, traditional markets, shopping areas, and hospitals.

The proposed “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.

In some cases, the waiting box is left in place as an option, while some intersections are being modified with added left-turn areas for scooters and motorcycles, letting them queue with cars to turn left.