Department of Rapid Transit Systems

A new milestone has been reached on Circular line east section, which is eagerly anticipated by the public. On the morning of February 4 at Lequn parking lot, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for Circular line east section contract CF710, which will link Zhongshan and Neihu districts in Taipei City. Mayor Chiang Wan-an presided over the ceremony, and distinguished guests from all walks of life were invited to join together. Mayor Chiang stated that following the completion of the Circular line east section, the route will take passengers from Neihu Technology Park to Shilin Station in just 11 minutes and from Xiangshan Station in Xinyi District in just 14 minutes. Mayor Chiang expressed his belief that the new route will solve the traffic congestion during commuting hours in Neihu Technology Park and bring greater convenience to residents of Neihu District. 

DORTS First District Project Office (1st DPO) is responsible for the construction of this section, and they explained that section contract CF710 was jointly awarded to Hwang Chang General Contractor Co., Ltd and Japanese company Okumura Corporation with a bid of over NT$27.9 billion. The section spans a length of 2.91km and includes a tail track cut-and-cover structure, three underground stations (Y30, Y31 and Y32), four sections of shield tunnel, and water, electricity, and environmental control engineering within the scope of the section contract.

1st DPO further elaborated that the scope of this section contract will run southbound from an approximately 110-meter cut-and-cover structure at the Station Y29 tail track and proceed beneath Jingye 3rd Rd. through shield tunnels. It will then turn on Lequn 2nd Rd., and Station Y30 will be constructed on Jingye 4th Rd. in the vicinity of Taipei Marriott Hotel and Binjiang Junior High School. The route will then pass the Tiding Blvd. and Zhouzi No. 1 Park through a shield tunnel before turning on Jihu Rd. and then Ruiguang Rd. Station Y31 will be constructed in Zhouzi No. 2 Park, and the route will pass along Ruiguang Rd. and lead directly to Dagangqian Park, where Station Y32 will be constructed. It then goes along Ruiguang Rd. before turning at Ruiguang Park and then terminating at the north side of the Station Y33 (not included) diaphragm wall.

In his speech, Mayor Chiang stated that Taipei MRT construction is proceeding rapidly with major projects underway across the city, including Xinyi eastern extension, Wanda line, Minsheng-Xizhi line, and the Circular line north, south and east section. Following the completion of each section, the MRT will provide residents and tourists with more convenient transportation options and shorter travel distances. Furthermore, it will contribute to the development of low-carbon cities by alleviating traffic congestion, reducing carbon footprints, and improving urban air quality. 

Mayor Chiang also mentioned that construction for section contract CF710 will be carried out on Ruiguang Rd. in Neihu District near Neihu Technology Park. Because the route passes through Ruiguang Rd., which is a busy thoroughfare in Neihu District, traffic management challenges will be faced during the construction, and Mayor Chiang requested that DORTS make every effort to coordinate accordingly and hold briefings prior to the commencement of construction to enable everyone to be able to fully understand the construction plans and traffic adjustment measures. At the same time, the frontline workers were reminded to uphold the highest public safety standards to ensure the smooth completion of the project. Mayor Chiang also announced that section contract CF720 was awarded on January 30 which is located on Jiuzong Rd. Construction on this contract will commence as early as April, and will carry out the vital mission of connecting the east depot and all of the stations on the northern end. This will not only effectively alleviate long-term traffic pressure in Neihu Technology Park but also be a key milestone in achieving the vision of a ring-shaped MRT system.

DORTS further elaborated that the Taipei MRT route network connects major thoroughfares in the Taipei city center via a grid-like network of routes and then expands outwards along important corridors in a radiating pattern. The planning concept for the Circular line is to connect the MRT lines radiating out from Taipei metropolitan area through a ring-shaped route to accomplish the objective of convenient transportation. Circular line Phase I (Dapinglin Station to New Taipei Industrial Park Station) has already opened for operations. Meanwhile, Circular line Phase II includes the south, north and east section, which are currently under construction. It will be a single-system service without transfer for the entire Circular line. DORTS stated that a convenient MRT network will greatly increase willingness among the public to use it and reduce the use of private transportation. This will not only resolve traffic issues in the Neihu area, but also contribute to energy conservation and carbon reduction.

DORTS specifically pointed out that the construction of this contract will mostly be located along Ruiguang Rd. in Neihu Technology Park, which has an especially high traffic volume during peak hours. Reducing the number of traffic-maintenance barriers will influence the space available for construction and inevitably impact work efficiency. Furthermore, limited construction times will impede construction progress; therefore, deep excavation construction methods will be adopted as a planning measure on the narrow roads in the core area of Neihu Technology Park. 

To celebrate the official commencement of construction on section contract CF710, following the groundbreaking ceremony, a theater troupe was invited to perform on the site to lead everyone with unlimited imagination, bringing everyone in Neihu closer together through a theatrical performance. A blood donation vehicle was also stationed on-site, and the public were invited to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. In addition to allowing the spectators to participate in the event and jointly record and witness local celebrations, this gave them the opportunity to demonstrate their love and respect for life through a concrete action.