Taichung MRT's Blue Line Awaiting Executive Yuan Approval

At the end of March, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications completed a feasibility study about Taichung MRT's Blue Linea nd sent it to the Executive Yuan for approval. The line, which will cost NT$84.1 billion, will have terminal stations at Shalu Station and Taichung TRA Station. There will be 15 stations, some above ground and some below. Traveling from one end to the other will take 39 minutes.


Taichung's Taiwan Boulevard is always congested during rush hour. At the end of March, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications completed a feasibility study on a new, 21.3-kilometer-long MRT line. The plan is awaiting approval from the Executive Yuan. City officials say the 15-station Blue Line will alleviate traffic congestion on Taiwan Boulevard.

The westernmost station will be Shalu Station, while the easternmost station will be Taichung TRA Station. The entire project will cost around NT$84.1 billion.

Taichung City Transportation Bureau Director-General Wang Yi-chuan says the project will take at least 10 years. A lot of private land will have to be expropriated at an estimated cost of NT$32 billion. Experts are worried about traffic issues during the construction period.

The city needs to minimize the impact on traffic during construction. Underground construction always takes a long time. This means traffic obstruction and congestion aboveground.

Feng Chia University Associate Professor Lee Ker-tsung says connecting the Blue Line and Green Line and expanding the public transportation network are important, but traffic volume on Taiwan Boulevard's adjacent roads is already high. This means these roads can't be used as substitute roads during the construction period. Lee says the city needs to have countermeasures in place ahead of time or face the wrath of the public once construction starts.