Working Group Looks at KMRT Pingtung Extension Route

In order to push forward plans to extend the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (KMRT) into Pingtung, the Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County governments have formed a preparatory working group to prioritize the decision on the routing for the extension.

The plan to extend the Kaohsiung MRT into Pingtung is already listed among first phase special budgets for “forward looking projects”, with allocations totaling 50 million NTD designated for the conducting of feasibility research, comprehensive planning and environmental assessment work. The Kaohsiung City government, which is responsible for execution, expects the preliminary work to be complete by the end of 2019.

The working group for the KMRT extension project, established by the Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County governments, will convene periodically to deliberate the preferred routing.

While answering inquiries at the Legislative Yuan, Transportation Minister Hochen Tan revealed that there were difficulties associated with extending the red line of the KMRT into Donggang and that priority would be given to evaluating the extension of the orange line into Pingtung City.
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However, a Kaohsiung City government official pointed that nothing has actually been hammered out regarding which line will be extended into Pingtung. Further discussions between Kaohsiung and Pingtung governments still need to take place to ensure that the development of the towns and cities and traffic considerations are taken into account.

PR Translation - Translated from Liberty Times article: http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/2245828 

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