Department of Rapid Transit Systems

In order to provide a higher quality and more caring riding environment and in response to an aging society, DORTS has proposed improvement plans for the entrances/exits of stations in the initially operational route network. Currently in order for “stations to satisfy the requirement of having at least one entrance/exit on both sides of the road equipped with two-way escalators or elevators,” DORTS has proposed short-term, medium-term, and long-term improvement plans for a portion of entrances/exits at MRT stations to be upgraded in stages to two-way escalators or to have elevators added. To date, elevator/escalator improvement projects at Guting Station entrances/exits 3, 5, and 7, Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station entrance/exit 3 lobby level, Zhongxiao Dunhua Station entrance/exit 3, Zhongxiao Fuxing Station entrance/exit 3, Zhongxiao Xinsheng entrance/exit 4, Jiangzicui Station entrance/exit 2, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall Station entrance/exit 2, and the platforms on both sides of Fuxinggang Station have been completed. Furthermore, in the near future, 2 escalators will be opened in Guandu Station on January 20, 2021.
DORTS explained that for Taipei MRT, which has a daily capacity of more than 2 million passengers, escalators had not been installed during the construction of the station platforms on the ground level section of Tamsui-Xinyi line, and this is inadequately friendly to the public which is currently entering into an aging society. However, the overall process of carrying out construction is also relatively cumbersome and time-consuming in stations which have been in operation for nearly 27 years. Escalator improvements are different from the usual MRT construction projects. In addition to having to re-measure the original escalator pit and then knock it out, and modify the escalator structure, tasks such as the installation and testing of the new escalator and cable-pulling can only be carried out in limited construction land space. In addition, in order to take travel requirements into account and avoid impacting the original MRT entrance/exit structures, some of the tasks must be undertaken manually such as knocking and transporting of which can only be carried out following the night shift and prior to hours of operation. This is especially the case with the lifting and installation of escalators and cable-pulling work, which are even more difficult construction tasks than new construction projects.
DORTS emphasized that in order to balance travel requirements with operational safety the improvement construction must be implemented in stages and thanked the public for their patience. The entire mid-term improvement project of the elevator/escalators in the initial MRT route network will be completed by the end of 2022 with a total of 62 escalators and 1 elevator improved and opened for operations at a total of 16 stations, 23 entrances/exits, and 4 station platforms in order to provide Greater Taipei Metropolitan Area with a more convenient MRT riding environment.