What are the planning principles for intermodal transfers at MRT stations? (Planning)
When planning an MRT station, DORTS assumes that most of the passengers come on foot from within a 500-meter radius around the station. Other passengers come by different modes of transport, so it is very important to combine multi-modal facilities (such as bicycle, bus, taxi, pick-up and drop-off areas, and park-and-ride, etc.) into each MRT station based on forecasted demand. Due to problems of expropriating land, however, it is very difficult to build intermodal transfer facilities. DORTS therefore coordinates with local government authorities to survey the areas surrounding MRT stations on a case-by-case basis to satisfy demand as much as possible. In order to increase the MRT usage rate, each station on the MRT routes will be equipped with transfer and parking facilities on the basis of local conditions to provide to passengers at MRT interchanges in accordance with the following planning principles: 1. First, in accordance with the Taipei Rapid Transit System Model (TRTS Model) create the daily average and morning peak-hour traffic volume forecasts for working days in the targeted year for use as planning references for the installation of transfer and parking facilities. 2. Next, the following principles for a wide variety of transfer and parking facilities are utilized for non-walking trips: (1) In order to promote metropolitan area public transportation policies, the establishment of transfer and parking facilities will be discouraged for small vehicles in city center areas, and instead walking, bus, and intermodal transfers will be used as the primary methods. (2) During each phase of planning for transfer and parking facilities for the MRT network, adjustments will be made according to demand patterns in order to fit the volume for transfer and parking facilities. (3) Land use in station service areas, such as residential areas, commercial areas, cultural and educational districts, and green park spaces and the topography, as well as the remaining services provided by the MRT system will influence passengers' means of transferring on the MRT, and adjustments will be made in accordance with a review of these factors. (4) Transfer and parking facilities planning proportions for different station locations will be adjusted due to differences in socio-economic levels of development, and station types, such as intermediary stations, transfer stations, and terminal stations, as well as differences in station service functions. (5) In the event that stations provide less than the required amount of transfer and parking facilities, the amount of shortages will be provided by other appropriately selected transportation means. 3. The proportion of distribution of transportation means should be carefully considered for each station in accordance with the above stated principles for planning installations and influencing factors. Furthermore, transfer and parking facilities planning should take land for transportation use and MRT development areas into consideration for installations, and in the event of local land acquisition difficulties, relevant local government units should be coordinated to allow ancillary public facilities land, roads, and open spaces in the vicinity of MRT stations to be used for installation instead.