Kaohsiung is continuing to tackle traffic problems in areas from Nanzi to Luzhu. These areas are set to get busier after large semiconductor factories are soon completed, and strengthening highway infrastructure (meaning major roads, not freeways) has become a priority for the KH City Govt. Taiwan Highway (or Route) 17 is currently in the end stages of a major rebuild that bypasses busy areas. In late February, work began on the priority section of Taiwan Route 39 – also called the “High-Speed Rail Underpass Road Extension” as it mostly runs along/under the HSR route.
KH Mayor Chen Chi-mai expressed gratitude to the Central Govt for their strong support in securing funding and said the road will serve as a critical link within what’s been dubbed the “Southern Semiconductor Corridor.” The road will help connect key industrial zones and make accessing National Freeway No. 1 and Provincial Highway No. 1 easier. Once completed, the project will ease traffic congestion across multiple districts, making getting in and out of the “Southern Semiconductor Corridor” much more convenient.
Taiwan Route 39 extension will run southward from Provincial Route 186 at the Gangshan Interchange, and follow the high-speed rail line to Qiaoke 1st – 2nd Road, connecting the Luzhu Science Park, the Northern Kaohsiung Industrial Park, the Qiaotou Science Park, and the Nanzih Industrial Park, making it a key north-south artery within the semiconductor corridor.
The Taiwan Route 39 extension will cost a reported NT$30.6 billion, and according to the Kaohsiung Public Works Bureau, the main or “priority” section will span 1.4 kilometers, with a width of 32 meters, and feature two fast lanes and one slow lane in each direction. The project includes roads, bridges, drainage systems, broadband conduits, sidewalks, and also lighting infrastructure.
Info and images via KH City Govt/AmCham Kaohsiung English News
