Published by: Traffic Engineering Division / Contact number: 04-22289111, ext. 60421 / published on: Oct 30 2023

The Route Tai 74 Caohu Interchange, which the locals had been anticipated for 13 years, b was constructed by the central government, with the Taichung City Government responsible for land acquisition and road connection. However, the challenge is the more than 80 private properties within the project site. After taking office, Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen communicated with the public by listening what they had to say. In the end, all 130 landowners agreed, and the price negotiation was successfully completed. Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen attended the opening ceremony today (30th) to express her gratitude to the central government and local public representatives for their support and assistance. She also thanked the landowners for their selflessness in benefiting the residents of Dali and Wufeng areas.

Mayor Lu pointed out that the central government was responsible for the construction, and the local government was tasked with land acquisition for the additional interchange of Tai 74 in the Dali and Wufeng areas. The project covered more than 80 private properties or approximately 30,000 square meters, and 130 landowners were involved in this massive project. The sheer number of private properties and the complexity of process were unprecedent. After continuous communication with the landowners, the city government finally reached an agreement with all landowners and completed the purchase at an agreed price. Mayor Lu said that the city government built a Caohu access road to smooth the flow of traffic on and off the interchange, which has been completed at a cost of about NT$ 430 million; in addition, the first phase of the project consisting of a surface road connecting Dali and Wufeng under the No. 74 bridge cost about NT$ 460 million and was successfully partially opened to traffic. The second phase of the project will be carried out in the future, and the planning and design process has already begun.

Mayor Lu expressed her gratitude to the central government for its efforts, the Taichung City Council for supporting the budget, and the legislators for their assisting in obtaining central government subsidies. The Caohu Interchange on Tai 74 is a major construction that the local have been waiting for years. It has gone through a tedious series of surveys, environmental impact assessments and planning sessions, and was finally approved by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in June 2016. The total project funding was approximately NT$ 738 million, of which 620 million was subsidized by the central government. The project was still just an idea if it were for the joint efforts of the central government, public representatives, landlords and all people involved.

Cheng Wen-Tsan, Vice Premier of the Executive Yuan, said that Tai 74 runs through 8 towns and has a total of 18 interchanges. The Caohu Interchange serves the people of Wufeng and Dali, and can also make transportation bypassing the Taichung Software Park much easier. The local government acquire the properties needed to build the interchange, the Highway Bureau was in charge of the construction, the road under the bridge was constructed by the local government, and the Land Management Agency of the Ministry of the Interior was in charge of the extension of Zhongshan Road. This collaborative effort between the three-parties made the interchange more accessible and has contributed to the overall improvement of Taichung.

Director Yeh, Chao-Fu of Transportation Bureau explained that the city government was responsible for acquiring the project properties necessary for the Caohu Interchange and connecting the local roads to it. As the interchange is opened to traffic, it will be connected to the road network of Xinan area through the "surface road under the viaduct of Dali Access Road (from Lane 202, Jingzhuang Street to Xihu Road)" and the "Zhongshan Road (AI-005) Extension Project" constructed by the Construction and Planning Agency of the Ministry of the Interior. After opening to traffic, 18% of the traffic flow on Route Tai 3 will be diverted, reducing traffic through the Dali Interchange. It is estimated to reduce 2.8 km of distance for traveling. The city hall will continue to promote major transportation construction and deliver a tangible traffic report card.