The completion of the Fengyuan-Tanzi section of the Taichung Circular Line (National Freeway No. 4) will help alleviate area traffic and drive comprehensive development of greater Taichung, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said today.
The premier made this statement after a briefing by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on the project's progress.
In order to provide the eastern section of the city with swifter and more convenient transportation service and unleash full transportation efficacy with the completion of the greater Taichung area highway and freeway network, the Executive Yuan approved the plan a week ago (on September 2). Its total budget is NT$26.65 billion (US$887.63 million), and the freeway section is scheduled to be completed and opened to traffic in 2021.
The MOTC stated that the planned route spans 10.9 kilometers with three interchanges. Preliminary designs will be formulated in November this year and works contracted out beginning in 2017. The project's objectives encompass:
- Integrating with other national and provincial roads to form a comprehensive freeway and highway network in greater Taichung.
- Alleviating traffic congestion in the Daya section of the Taichung System Interchange on the Sun Yat-sen Freeway (National Freeway No. 1).
- Improving transportation from Fengyuan to downtown Taichung on both main roads and auxiliary streets while providing the east flank of the Taichung metropolitan area with swift and convenient transportation as well as galvanizing comprehensive city development.
Jiang said the new section is very important to regional transportation infrastructure.
The premier also noted that because the planned route passes through Chelungpu Fault and other fault zones, the engineering works will involve complex geological issues. He exhorted the MOTC to pay particular attention to construction quality and safety during the project's planning, design and implementation phases. The Taichung City Government (TCG) should also provide necessary assistance in land acquisition and other related tasks so that the project can be completed with good quality and on time, he said.
At the meeting, the TCG requested that the project be completed ahead of schedule. In response, the premier asked the MOTC to apply its professionalism to the issue, scrupulously deliberating the issue and fully communicating with the city government on the assessment results while taking into consideration the various problems that would be encountered.