Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

The construction of the Circular line north section, which is highly anticipated by the public, has just reached a new milestone! The Shilin section of Circular line north section connects Shezi, Shilin and the National Palace Museum, and on the morning of March 19, the groundbreaking ceremony for section contract CF690A was held at the Jihe Road parking lot in Shilin District. Taipei City Mayor Chiang Wan-an presided over the ceremony, and VIP guests from all walks of life at the central and local levels were invited to pray together for the smooth completion of the project on schedule and in accordance with high quality standards. 

DORTS First District Project Office (1st DPO), which is responsible for the construction of this section, explained that section contract CF690A spans a total length of 1.45 km, and the contract was awarded to Hwang Chang General Contractor. The project scope starts from the intersection of Shishang Rd. and Zhongzheng Rd. in Shilin District and connects with Station Y25 before heading east along Zhongzheng Rd. through a shield tunnel to Station Y26, which intersects with the Tamsui-Xinyi line. The project then follows Zhongzheng Rd. to Zhicheng Park near station Y27. It includes three stations, one section of pocket track and two sections of shield tunnels. 

1st DPO pointed out that the construction of this section passes beneath the Tamsui-Xinyi line. Due to an insufficient clearance height between the elevated section and the road, it was necessary to conduct an excavation prior to the construction of the diaphragm wall utilizing equipment with height restrictions. Furthermore, it was crucial that the construction process not affect the safety and operation of the MRT trains. In addition, because Zhongzheng Rd. is only 23 meters in width, the overall work area is narrow and long, and the diaphragm wall will be constructed adjacent to residential buildings, the DORTS team work diligently to overcome numerous difficulties and minimize impacts on traffic and people’s lives during the construction period.

In his speech, Mayor Chiang stated that Taipei MRT has entered the “6 Lines Construction Plan 2.0” era, and the construction of each line is proceeding at breakneck speed. Moreover, the opening of each section will provide more convenient transportation options for Taipei residents and domestic and foreign tourists. Mayor Chiang also stated that a convenient MRT system not only reduces travel times but also increases travel efficiency which will encourage people to choose public transportation and further reduce the usage of private vehicles. In addition to improving urban air quality, this will also contribute to the promotion of a low-carbon city.

Mayor Chiang also mentioned that Shilin Station is located at the intersection of Circular line north section and the Tamshui-Xinyi line and is an important transfer station. At the same time, it is the first model of TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) in Taipei City. In addition, the construction of the CF690A section will be carried out on Zhongzheng Road, which is a major transportation route in Shilin District. It will entail facing challenges such as traffic diversion and adjustment of underground public facilities. In addition to requiring DORTS to make every effort to coordinate and hold construction briefings prior to commencing the project in order to enable everyone to fully comprehend the construction planning and traffic adjustment measures and ensure the smooth completion of the project, he also implored the people living along the route to be understanding and tolerant of the inconveniences and impacts caused by the construction. 

DORTS stated that following the completion of the north section, travel times between Taipei and New Taipei City will be dramatically reduced. For instance, the original travel time of 32 minutes from Shilin Station to New Taipei Industrial Park Station will be reduced to only 20 minutes, and the original travel time of 17 minutes from Shilin Station to Jiannan Road Station will be reduced to just 8 minutes. This will alleviate traffic problems in Shilin and Neihu District. DORTS emphasized that during the bidding process for section contract CF690A of Circular line north section, they faced numerous difficulties, from the pandemic to drastic changes in the international situation and raw materials shortages. Nevertheless, they finally advanced to the construction stage and anticipate that the opening of this section will bring Shilin back to its glory days. 

To celebrate the official commencement of this construction project, the Paper Windmill Theatre was invited to perform live after the groundbreaking ceremony to lead everyone to use their creativity and imagination to bring the public closer to Shilin through dramatic performance. Public welfare element was also incorporated into the event with guests and the public being invited to roll up their sleeves and donate blood in a blood donation vehicle. This enabled the public who participated in the event to record and witness the local joyous events and demonstrate love and respect for life through practical actions.