In response to the elevated railway and improvement in traffic in Central District, Taichung City Government initiated the Taichung Grand Station Project featuring one heart, one ring, two axes, and four themes through TOD (Transit Oriented Development) and rerouting. In the future, the train and bus stations will be divided into Gangcheng Transfer Center and Taichung Transfer Center North Station and South Station, which are connected by 3D connected platforms, creating People Mover similar to the fast-moving path in an airport. Travelers will no longer transfer by leaving the station.

Wang, Chun-Chieh, Director of Urban Development Bureau, Taichung City Government, indicated in the municipal council held today (January 8) that the government initiated the three arrows of regeneration in Central District, including Taichung Grand Station, river remediation and cultural renaissance, in response to narrow roads, lack of parking lots, railway separation, and banding traffic development in Central Taiwan.

Featuring one heart, one ring, two axes, and four themes, the overall planning of Taichung Grand Station is centered on Taichung Railway Station surrounded by creative developments, including cultural venues from Calligraphy Greenway to Taiwan Sugar Ecopark and shopping districts from Taichung First Senior High School to Jiancheng Road, with four themes of Gangcheng Design Park, Taiwan Sugar Circular Economy EcoPark, Green River, and Next-generation Cultural and Educational Life.

Director Wang stressed that the Taichung Grand Station Project was not about the expansion of the station, but about the connections between surrounding developments. The entire project has three main points, including the Grand Platform Project covering northern and southern parking lots at a cost of NT$1.2 billion. The government has won over the forward-looking program and commitment to subsidies by Ministry of Transportation and Communications; through TOD and rerouting, the project will solve traffic problems in Central District, link the new station, Gangcheng Transfer Center and Taichung Transfer Center by creating 3D connected platforms, and integrate the surrounding areas, including Gangcheng having been undeveloped over the past 20 years, Taiwan Sugar Park having been expropriated recently, Central District, and Southeast District, creating a true Taichung Grand Station.

Director Wang also pointed out that as Taichung Railway Station is convenient and superior in life functions, the government also plans to set up the Central Taiwan Start-up Field at the north of the new station where popular cultures, cultural and creative businesses, social housing, and hostels gather and attract the young population; in addition, the government plans to keep the old railway 1.6km long between the north side of Taiwan Sugar Factory and Taichung Prison and turn it into a green sidewalk and bikeway.

Mayor of Taichung City Lin, Chia-Lung indicated that Taichung was born to connect the north and the south by railway, thus blocking the development around the station in the past. Through elevation of the railway, the Taichung Grand Station is further promoted, making the project the largest TOD in Taiwan. The project connects the new station to the old one and integrates state-owned land and part of privately owned land nearby, creating a transfer center combining the railway, MRT, buses, and bikes.

Mayor Lin pointed out that the government expropriated aerial sections from the new station to Gangcheng to build a 3D train station, which increased space for urban development. The project has reviewed and approved by the Urban Planning Commission, Ministry of the Interior and is now under urban renewal. With the support of the central government and budgets, the project will lay the foundation for the next 100 years of transport in Taichung.

Wang, Yi-Chuan, Director of Transportation Bureau of Taichung City Government, said that the Taichung Grand Station Project integrates the north side of the new station, former Jianguo Market, and Nanjing New Village of Ministry of National Defense into a dedicated station area, while introducing TOD and rerouting into public construction in the hope of building 3D connected platforms connecting the new station, Gangcheng Transfer Center and Taichung Transfer Center.

In the future, Shuangshi Road and Jianguo Road will be turned into a 3D connected platform connecting Taichung Railway Station. Gangcheng Transfer Center and Taichung Transfer Center North Station and South Station will be connected through 3D connected platforms, creating People Mover similar to the fast-moving path in an airport. Travelers will no longer transfer by leaving the station.

With regard to the future Gangcheng Transfer Center and Taichung Transfer Center North Station and South Station, the Transportation Bureau will reroute vehicles as well. Compared with the traditional configuration of buses, transport is adjusted by direction. For example, through 3D connected platforms, buses on sea routes are available at Gangcheng Transfer Center; buses on mountain routes are available at Taichung Transfer Center North Station; and buses to Tun District and Southeast District are available at Taichung Transfer Center South Station.

Director Wang also said that there are 2644 parking spaces for cars and 1198 parking spaces for motorcycles around Taichung Railway Station. Through the joint base construction plan for Gangcheng Transfer Center, Taichung Transfer Center North Station and South Station, and 3D connected platforms, there will be 4918 parking spaces for cars and 4856 parking spaces for motorcycles around Taichung Railway Station.