Construction on 1st-Stage Ring Section of Taipei MRT Breaks Ground

Taipei, July 12, 2011 (CENS)--Construction work on the first-stage ring section between Zhonghe and Banciao, both of New Taipei City, of Taipei mass rapid transit system broke ground yesterday (July 11) and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2015, promising to form a transportation artery for the western side of Greater Taipei.

The Zhonghe-Banciao section extends 6.3 kilometers and will be built on an elevated route, calling for a construction cost of NT$13.7 billion, with seven station. It is the most important part of the first-stage ring section of the Taipei MRT system which extends 15.4 kilometers from Xindian to Wugu industrial zone, both in New Taipei City.

The first-stage ring section will slash the traveling time between Xindian and Banciao to 20 minutes, down 40-50 minutes now, removing the need to take a roundabout route of the MRT system. There will be 14 stations along the route; some stations will be constructed in the form of commercial buildings, which will accommodate various commercial facilities, including shopping centers. The first-stage ring section will cost NT$54.7 billion to build.

The first-stage ring section is part of the ring line for the Taipei MRT system, which will also include north-bound ring section and south-bound ring section. The entire ring line will extend 38.4 kilometers and transform the Taipei MRT system into a grid network.