Overpass to Connect Taipei Main and Bus Stations? 北車.轉運站間設天橋? 學者:壓迫行車視線

Metro Taipei has proposed a plan to build an overpass above the Civic Boulevard, connecting Taipei Bus Station and Taipei Main Station. The proposal, however, has generated discussions and debate among citizens, passengers, and city planners.

Some pedestrians ignored the "no crossing" sign on the Civic Boulevard, maneuvering their way to the other side of the road at a busy U-turn. After a few minutes, passengers with luggage also crossed the road illegally. They wanted to go from Taipei Main Station to Taipei Bus Station. At present, they can only use the underground street, which has been criticized in the past. It was once described by the public as a maze. Visitors from outside the city say they often get lost.

Citizen: “I want to walk to the opposite side of the bus station. But after walking around in a circle, I'm still here.”

Citizen: “The signs are quite clear and I'm quite familiar with the streets. So I don't think there is a difference between whether there is a bridge or not.”

The public has different opinions about Metro Taipei's plan to build an overpass connecting Taipei Bus Station and Taipei Main Station. The overpass construction is estimated to cost NT$400 million. It will connect the M2 exit by Taipei Main Station to the R1 exit next to Taipei Bus Station, which is under Civic Boulevard. Landscape architects believe that pedestrian space should be built on the existing road so it will not compress drivers' sight and space.

Hsu Chin-chih, Executive Director, Taiwan Institute of Landscape Architects: “An overpass will be a visual hindrance to pedestrians walking on the Civic Boulevard. It will have a cross-cutting effect on their vision. So this overpass will not blend into the surrounding. I think this is something to think about.”

The Taiwan Institute of Landscape Architects believes that overpasses have multi-functional considerations, such as connecting shopping malls. Metro Taipei responded by saying this project is to coincide with Taipei City's planned development in its western district. Metro Taipei will take opinions from the review committee and make adjustments before submitting its plan for review again. 

有民眾無視穿越開罰的紅色標誌，穿越市民大道迴轉車道，沒過幾分鐘又出現拉著行李的旅客也違規穿越。想從台北車站到台北轉運站，目前僅能走台北地下街，不過地下街的設置過去評價兩極，曾被民眾形容像迷宮，外縣市的旅客更是不知道該怎麼走。聽到台北捷運公司計畫建置天橋，連接台北轉運站和台北車站，民眾有不同意見。

民眾指出：「從轉運站想走到對面，但是繞一圈走出來之後，還是走到這裡。」

民眾認為：「告示滿清楚，路滿熟的，所以覺得有沒有天橋沒差吧。」

檢視北捷跨市民大道串聯線形公園立體連通天橋新建工程案，預計耗資4億元。將國光客運台北站旁的地下街M2出口與台北轉運站旁的R1出口，由天橋連接起來，位置將會在市民大道的下方。景觀設計師認為若只是為了穿越，應該在平面建置人行空間，這樣也不會壓縮到行車視線與空間。

中華民國景觀學會執行長許晉誌表示：「做一個天橋對整個視覺，我在行走在市民大道的平面道路的時候它會是一個阻礙，它會把整個我們的視覺變成是有橫切的效果。所以這樣景觀的視覺，它的通透性、串聯度以及景觀的序列，是不是可以符合？我覺得這一點是需要去思考的。」

景觀學會認為，現行天橋的建置都是有多功能考量，例如兼具商場間的串連功能。對此台北捷運公司回應，此案是配市府西區門戶以及台北長廊東延段計畫，建置周邊立體人行系統。對於後續都審委員審查意見，捷運公司將依都審主席裁示事項，修正後再送審。