The Taichung City Government has completed the feasibility study report on the "Tun District MRT" linking the Green Line, Blue Line, and the Airport MRT (Orange Line), which was submitted to the central government for review today (20). The Director of the Bureau of Transportation, Yeh Chao-Fu, said that the Tun District MRT Project includes both the "Tun District MRT Loop Line" and the "MRT Blue Line to Taiping Extension". The Bureau of Transportation will cooperate with the central review process and actively shoot for the early approval of the project to deliver a well-planned MRT network. They hope to provide convenient and fast public transportation services between Taiping and Dali Districts in Taichung.
The Bureau of Transportation said that the population and demand for transportation of Taiping, Dali, and Wufeng have been growing fast in recent years. Given the lack of the MRT network connection between the railway and the east side of Provincial Highway no. 74, the Bureau is actively developing rapid transit in rural areas to boost the fast transit network and drive the development along the line. In October last year, the city government held two local explanation meetings for the feasibility study to gather public opinion and incorporate them into the planning. With the city government MRT construction promotion working group’s review and approval on May 25 this year, and the support of the Taichung City Council, the Bureau submitted the project to the Ministry of Transportation and Communication for review today.
The Bureau of Transportation indicated that the total budget for the Tun District MRT project is NTD 89.729 billion. The northern end of the "Tuen District MRT Loop Line" connects to Lvyan G1 Station. It goes south along Xiangshun Road, passes Zhongshan Road and Liren Road in Taiping District, then passes Defang South Road to Wenxin South Road and Jianguo South intersection, and allows transfers to MRT Daqing Station and Taiwan Railway Daqing Station. The total length of the route is about 16.14 kilometers, with 16 elevated stations. "MRT Blue Line to Taiping Extension" extends westward from Dongping Road, passing Taiping Road and Zhenxing Road, to Jinde Road, connecting to MRT Blue Line B20 Station and connecting to Taichung Railway Station. The total length of the route is about 4.66 kilometers, with four underground stations.
Director Yeh stated that Taichung is committed to developing the MRT network as the backbone of the mass transportation system. On April 15 last year, the Ministry of Transportation and Communication agreed to review the "Mass Rapid Transit System Overall Road Network Evaluation Project in Taichung Area. " The Taichung MRT Green Line commenced operation last year, and the central government is also reviewing the comprehensive planning of the MRT Blue Line and the feasibility study of the MRT Green Line extension and the Airport MRT (Orange Line). Together with the Tun District MRT plan submitted for review, the Taichung MRT will be like Taipei's MRT network in the future, and the rail transit network will be improved step by step to create an "MRT Taichung, a rich and thriving city", and a high-quality, comfortable, convenient, and sustainable transportation environment.