chapter 8 traffic and transportation

Chapter 8Traffic and TransportationThe Taipei City Government’s continuing emphasis on mass transport is illustrated by the fact that work on stage 2 of the MRT mass rapid transport network has begun across the board. When construction work is completed, the total length of the city’s MRT lines will be substantially increased. Also, a Bus Dynamic Display System to provide instant bus information is being installed throughout the city. In December 2007 six city mini-bus services connecting subway stations and bus stations to make transferring more convenient and promote “the last kilometer” short distance community shuttle service began operating. In terms of creating a people-first transport environment, children have been the target of education efforts, and improvements have been made in the environments in which children go to and from school for eight primary schools in the Zhongzheng district, making the journey to and from school safer for children. After over four years of planning, design and construction work, the Maokong Gondola was opened on July 4, 2007. In less than six months more than 2 million people went along for the ride. The gondola not only represents a new transport mode for Taipei; it also adds variety to the city landscape.

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Part 1 Putting People First and Sustainability are the Starting Points 1. Building People-Based Transport(1) Implementing Measures to Remove Motorcycles from Arcades and Sidewalks

Taipei City Government began implementing “Measures to remove motorcycles from arcades and Sidewalks” in 1999 to bring order to motorcycle parking, beautify the city landscape, improve the sites where motorcycles and people compete for space and protect pedestrian safety. These measures have been very well-received by the public. After work was completed on main roads, measures to prohibit motorcycle parking were gradually implemented on sidewalks around schools, parks, MRT stations and major public buildings where pedestrian numbers are high. In 2007 a motorcycle parking order improvement plan was implemented for roads around Shilin Night Market, Ximen shopping area, the MRT Guting Station and Songjiang Road, prohibiting the parking of motorcycles in arcades and on sidewalks. In 2007, by the end of December, the plan had been implemented on 51 stretches of road totaling 34.21 kilometers in length. By the end of December, 2007, the measures had been introduced on 335 sections of road, totaling 358.18 kilometers in length. By providing a reasonable amount of space for motorcycle parking, supported by suitable separation barriers and management, a high-quality space for pedestrians is created, serving to promote “people-first” transport concepts and parking habits.

In his inaugural policy white paper City Mayor Hau Lung-bin said “ People are great because they have dreams and “City dreams” are an

even greater ideal.” Building an “ideal city” with a “smooth, safe and comfortable” people-friendly transport

environment in which people walk without obstacles, driving is smooth, safety is priceless, cars and people are safe and in which transport is convenient, comfortable and people-based is the vision and

objective of the Department of Transportation.

Measures to remove motorcycles from arcades and sidewalks (before)

Measures to remove motorcycles from arcades and sidewalks (after)

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Chapter 8 Traffic and Transportation

(2) Little Green Man Countdown Display Added to Pedestrian Traffic Lights The “little green man” is a countdown display installed in pedestrian traffic lights at the four corners of

intersections. By displaying numbers and a moving image, pedestrians are able to judge how much time they have to cross the road, making road crossing safer for them. Taipei City Government began upgrading the pedestrian traffic lights in 2000 and, by the end of 2007, “the little green man” had become a feature at all the city’s pedestrian traffic lights at a total of 1,914 intersections

2. Building Sustainable Transport (1) Meeting the People’s “Last Kilometer” Requirement

Taipei City jointly operates public buses and ranks among the best in Taiwan for service and network scale. The city operates over 280 bus routes and has over 4,100 buses serving an average of 1.7 million people in Taipei each day. Bus services at present are “supply” oriented. To really meet the requirements of the public, “need”-oriented city minibus services are being promoted. With the precondition of meeting basic transport needs, communities take part in route planning and decide the bus timetable. The minibuses provide a shuttle link between residences, subway stations and bus stations, meeting the need for short journeys for people traveling to work, school, going shopping or for recreation, giving communities a “last kilometer” service, encouraging the public to use mass transport services frequently and reduce car and motorcycle use, together improving Taipei City’s traffic situation.

The Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government, discussed and planned city minibus routes with district offices and neighborhood offices and engaged in communication with bus operators. In 2007, six city minibus routes were introduced amidst great public expectations. The Xishanli, Shilin, No. 1 mini bus (originally bus No. 27) began operating on July 29. The service has an average of 15 passengers on each bus and it has been very well-received by the public. City minibuses in Wenshan, Xinyi and Beitou were introduced on a trial basis on November 30th. Xinyuan Street, Yangmingshan and Jiuzhuang, Nangang city minibuses were introduced on a trial basis on December 24. City minibus routes are shown below:

Ceremony on December 21, 2007, marking the launching of the city minibus service

Table 1 : New City Minibus Services Introduced in 2007 Number Origin-destination Date service began Note City minibus No. 1 MRT Jiantan station-Fengguizui 2007.07.29 Originally bus No. 27 City minibus No. 2 MRT Beitou station-Diregu (Hell Valley) 2007.11.30 City minibus No. 7 MRT City Government station- Lane 431 Wolong Street 2007.11.30 Originally city minibus No. 3 City minibus No. 5 MRT Wanfang Hospital-Xinguang Market 2007.11.30 City minibus No. 6 MRT Kunyang station-Jiuzhuang 2007.12.24 City minibus No. 3 Yangmingshan terminus- Xinyuan Community 2007.12.24

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(2) Short Distance Shuttle Public Buses for Communities After the successive completion of MRT network

lines, buses are playing a shuttle role between MRT stations and residential communities. Bus route planning and adjustment is following short-distance, shuttle, speed and direct principles to increase the efficiency of the mass transport system. By the end of December 2007, this Department of Transportation had introduced 48 bus routes serving MRT lines under city jurisdiction, 19 serving the red line, 13 serving the blue line, 12 serving the brown line and four serving the green line. Figures for December, 2007, show that the shuttle buses carried an average of 143,000 passengers daily. In the future, in accordance with local needs, further MRT shuttle bus routes will be introduced to expand the scope of mass transport services.(3) The “2007 Greater Taipei International Car-Free Day”

The “2007 Greater Taipei International Car-Free Day” had the theme “Taipei GO together, life is clean.” Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin and Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei led 15,000 people from Greater Taipei on cycles from the County People’s Square in Taipei County to Taipei. Taipei’s Renai Road, usually busy with traffic, was quiet apart from a few pedestrians on the sidewalks and the leisurely-paced cyclists on the road. As the cyclists rode along other cyclists joined in the parade. Arriving at the finishing point, Citizens’ Square in Taipei, the Mayor and Commissioner autographed their bicycles and they became sought-after prizes in the ensuing carnival activities. The “Car-free LOHAS. Carnival” followed the cycling activity at 10 am. In 2007, a section of one of Taipei’s busiest roads, Zhongxiao East Road, was closed from Dunhua South Road to Fuxing South Road, and the Dinghao shopping area was used as the carnival venue. There were lively performances from street artists, displays of environmental and health products and second-hand products in the second-hand auction area. The carnival was art and culture, environmental, health and sustainability themed, in sharp contrast to the fashion and luxury image of the Dinghao shopping area. Over 50,000 people visited the carnival.(4) City Cycle Paths Building Plan

Taipei’s riverside cycle paths, totaling about 110 kilometers, have become popular holiday recreation spots for the public. Now priority is being given to planning short-distance shuttle, commuting and leisure cycle paths between MRT stations, residential communities, schools, scenic spots and riverside cycle paths. Signs have been erected along roads to point out the route for cyclists, gradually expanding the cycle path network. Where current service levels can be maintained, commuter cycle paths have been established along main and secondary roads. Where sidewalks are too narrow or there is no sidewalk, signs have been erected Greater Taipei International Car-Free Day—cycling activity

Greater Taipei International Car-Free Day-the Car-Free LOHAS Carnival

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to point the way for cyclists. In the early stage of the plan, the sidewalk has been jointly used by pedestrians and cyclists to increase the number of city cyclists. The speed of establishment of a metropolitan cycle path network, with designated cycle paths, is being accelerated to provide a safe and comfortable cycling environment. In 2007, Taipei City had 18.6 kilometers of cycle paths, 39.9 kilometers of sidewalks shared by pedestrians and cycles, 58.5 kilometers in all. Cycle parking facilities have been established around parks, MRT stations and administrative bodies. Also, in 2007, 269 cycle parking frames were installed near MRT stations and 472 near schools and parks, totaling 1,567. Nine cycle parking areas were also established. As of the end of 2007, Taipei had 6,769 cycle parking frames.

Part 2 Intelligence and Safety are the Standards 1. Building Intelligent Transport (1) Improving Taipei City Traffic Monitoring Systems

The roads managed by Taipei City are separated into expressways and urban roads. The expressway traffic monitoring system focuses on traffic monitoring and incident management, while urban road management focuses on the operation of traffic lights. Both systems depend on the measuring and collection of traffic data and the instant traffic data analysis and information released by the Traffic Control Center to facilitate the effective management of road space and the utilization of transport resources and also provide citizens with pre-trip and mid-trip alternative routes for reference, dispersing rush hour traffic and improving the level of transport services in Taipei, and promoting urban development and economic growth. After years of effort by the Traffic Engineering office, Taipei City Government, the monitoring systems for all Taipei expressways, main roads and secondary roads have been completed.

To provide high quality traffic management services to a special-need area, in 2007 the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Traffic Monitoring System was established. This includes 16 closed circuit cameras and five changeable traffic information boards and a transmission system that collects instant traffic information through sensors and closed circuit cameras. This system will allow road users, through various channels, to find out about the road situation in Taipei Neihu Technology Park and its environs and identify alternative routes before they even enter the Park, so as to avoid congested sections of road and disperse traffic in and around the Park. Construction work was completed on November 12, 2007, and it is estimated that trial operations will begin in 2008. Also, in response to the on-going MRT line construction work in Taipei, from July 2007, the first of at least 16 changeable traffic information display boards was installed, providing instant traffic congestion information and alternative route information to drivers to ease traffic congestion and serve the public by improving the traffic situation near MRT construction sites. It is estimated that the installation of these displays will be completed by March 2008.

Cycle parking frames outside MRT stations

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(2) Bus Dynamic Display SystemSince 2004 Taipei joint buses have

used advanced electronics, wireless communications, computers and GPS system ITS-related technology to provide convenient and instant bus location and movement information to the public. At the end of April 2007, Stage 1, involving MRT station shuttle buses, was completed. Stage 2 will include Taipei Neihu Technology Park, mountain area buses and some Grade 4 route buses, the two stages together involving 1,100 buses and 145 intelligent bus stop signs. In addition to expanding routes, Taipei County bus information has also been integrated into the system and an Mbus cell phone enquiry service, that began operation in July 2007, has been developed, providing the public with instant bus location and estimated bus stop arrival time through the Internet, phone voice function and intelligent bus stop signs.

The budget for Stage 3 in 2007 was NT$77.4 million with an NT$8.5 million subsidy received from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The plan targeted Grade 3 and 4 bus routes with relatively large headway between services (Grade 3 routes have one service every 12-15 minutes at rush hours and 15-20 outside rush hours, Grade 4 routes have headway between services of over 20 minutes). The installation of 115 intelligent bus stop signs and the installation of the system in 1,400 additional buses is planned and these will be integrated with the 553 street furniture bus stop signs and the newly-added mass transport service route enquiry system. The contract for this case was signed on October 12, 2007 and, by the end of December, 400 buses had been fitted with the equipment as part of Stage 1 of the plan.

The “Taipei City Bus Dynamic Display System” provides the public with instant bus location and stop arrival information through intelligent bus stop signs, phone voice enquiry “23461168” and the Internet, reducing uncertainly when waiting for buses, thereby increasing the service level. At the same time, the monitoring system allows bus-operating situations to be easily monitored by the bus company, reducing the human resources required for inspection work and providing operators with information. Use figures for 2007 show that on average 111,390 people used the Internet system each month, 7,830 used the phone voice enquiry system and 130,950 used cell phones to make enquiries, with use rate up 50% from 2006. Also, in the Taipei joint bus service quality survey and review report the public satisfaction level was 77%.(3) Building a Taipei City Car Parking Guidance and Information System

In April, 2003, the “Xinyi Special Zone Parking Information and Guidance System” began operating, allowing drivers to know in advance the spaces available in a car park before they arrive there, reducing the traffic problems associated with drivers searching for parking spaces. The system was well-received by the public and, in December, 2006, the “Yangmingshan and Ximen Shopping Area Parking Information and Guidance Systems” were completed and began operating. The 2007-2009 the parking information and guidance system will be expanded, with car parking information and guidance systems established for all twelve districts. In 2007, the planning and design and tender work for Stage 1 (Neihu, Nangang and Wenshan) was completed and it is estimated that the system will begin operating in 2008.

Press conference for the launching of the bus dynamic display system Stage 2

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2. Traffic Safety(1) Strengthening Children’s Traffic Safety

Children are the future of the country and their safety on the way to and from school is as important as protecting them from crime. In coordination with the Mayor Hau Lung-bin’s policy white paper objective of building a safe city and guaranteeing the safety of the next generation and with reference to the “Community Children’s Safety Plan” promoted by the Jing-juan Culture and Education Foundation, inspection work was carried out around eight primary schools in Taipei’s Zhongzheng district (Zhongyi, Yingqiao, Nanmen, Dongmen, Heti, Zhongxiao, Taipei Mandarin Experimental Elementary School and Affiliated Experimental Elementary School Taipei Municipal University of Education) and environmental improvements plans were put forward. This Department of Transportation invited related bodies to identify the items requiring improvement and to formulate the measures to be adopted, in order to guarantee children’s safety to and from school by improving the traffic situation around their schools. The main points of traffic improvement around primary schools is planning school access lanes, pick-up areas, increasing pedestrian space and clamping own on illegal parking, and providing children with wider, continuous, smooth and safe walking space in which to go to and from school. For example, a 2-meter wide pedestrian space has been added on lane 182, Section 2, Dingzhou Road on the left side of Taipei Municipal Heti Elementary School and a 3.64-meter pedestrian space was created for lane 24, Kinmen Street (originally there was no sidewalk). Also the steps of the pedestrian bridge on Nanhai Road next to the Taipei Mandarin Experimental Elementary School have been replaced and the pedestrian space Improved traffic safety facilities(Ankang Road)

A 2-meter wide sidewalk on the left side of Heti Elementary School

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increased to 2.5 meters (originally 0.8 meters). These plans were implemented in cooperation with private groups and with the support of various Taipei City Government Departments and have shown good results. In the future the Department of Transportation will introduce similar measures for other primary schools following this model, increasing the traffic safety of even more children on their way to and from school. (2) Installing Safety Facilities on Main Roads

To improve the level of traffic safety on Taipei’s main roads and reduce the occurrence of accidents, various kinds of reflective facilities have been added to central dividing lines and the start of central reservations. 124 additional danger warnings, 13,507 tempered-glass reflective road markers, 14,870 road markers, 2,148 soft elastic poles and 997 impact recovery systems have been installed on over 20 roads, including Zhongxiao West Road, Chongqing South Road, Keelung Road, Roosevelt Road, Heping East Road, and Xinyi Expressway.

(3) “Stop,” “Give Way” Signs PlanMost of the intersections of lanes and alleys

in Taipei do not meet the standards required for the installation of traffic signals. To improve driving safety and order and strengthen driver right of way concepts at intersections, “stop and look” or “give way” signs have been erected at intersections with bad visibility for drivers on lanes and alleys over six meters wide and also, depending on actual conditions, grids painted at intersections to indicate to drivers that they must stop or proceed with caution, observe the road situation and give way

to cars on the main road and only continue when it is safe to do so. In 2007, the placing of “stop”

signs or warnings at intersections in 12 Taipei districts known to be accident black spots based on Taipei City Police Department Traffic Division data was examined. As a result, 858 “stop” signs were erected and 494 “stop,” 638 “slow” warnings and 254 yellow lines were added at 1,553 intersections.(4) Making Traffic Safety a Part of Life

In order to safeguard the public, related Taipei City Government Departments are continuing to actively carry out traffic improvement engineering work, traffic law enforcement and education. Clearly, enforcing the traffic laws is the last line of defense in traffic safety and its importance cannot be expressed in words. The focuses of Taipei City Police Department Traffic Division enforcement work are driving under the influence, the protection of pedestrian safety and the removal of road obstacles. Its efforts have effectively reduced the occurrence of accidents. In 2007, 94 people died in Type A1 traffic accidents in Taipei, 0.52 people per 10,000 cars. Since 2001, the yearly figure has been under 100 every year. This Department of Transportation will continue to implement combined traffic safety and policy public education work and organize interactive activities. Public information activities will be carried out through various channels and media to effectively implement and realize the benefits of traffic safety education work and ensure traffic order and driving safety.

As part of traffic safety education efforts, the Taipei City Driver Training Center held traffic and bus-safety courses for students and teachers, teaching traffic safety and nurturing correct traffic concepts and, at the request of organizations and groups, various kinds of traffic safety promotion activities were designed to promote understanding of the main traffic policies and laws, giving students an up-to-date knowledge of traffic laws to help ensure their safety and also encouraging mass transport agencies use to promote

Improved traffic safety facilities(Chengder Bridge)

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green transport policies. In 2007, 146 school traffic safety promotion activities were held involving 61,048 people/times and 14 were held for organizations and groups, involving 2,310 people/times. To promote green transport policies, healthy leisure activities and primary school cycle training, a complete set of cycle-training courses has been developed and different grades of school assisted with organizing educational trips by cycle, using a “learning while having fun” method to teach children correct cycling skills and related knowledge. During summer vacation, cycle-training courses are also held to teach children how to ride safely and nurture respect for traffic laws. In 2007, 213 cycle-safety courses were held and attended by 14,333 people.

Part 3 Pursuing Greater Convenience and High Quality 1. Making Transport More Convenient

The Ban-nan line, part of the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit’s Stage 1 network, was extended to Tucheng in May 2006. As part of Stage 2, construction of the Xinzhuang line and Luzhou line is currently underway. Taipei County Circular line’s Stage 1 construction is being carried out by the Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government, to overcome the problem of crossing the lines of different administrative areas, taking the city into the era of the “one-day life sphere.”(1) Extensive Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Network

As of December, 2007 the Executive Yuan approved Taipei MRT Initial Stage Network Construction Plan had been 98.829% completed. The rate of progress for lines under construction at the end of 2007 was 82.91% for the Neihu line, 73.99% for the Xinzhuang line and Luzhou branch line, 70.85% for the eastern extension of the Nangang line, 28.08% for the Xinyi line and 19.02% for the Songshan line, with work on the entire length of the latter two lines having begun. The Taipei City section of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line is under construction and a twin pagoda “capital entry gate” building is to be built at the Taipei station. To meet the transport needs of the people of Tucheng’s Dingpu district and the nearby industrial zone, a BL36 underground MRT station will be added to the rear of the Tucheng line’s Yongning station, with a 2-kilometer line serving the aforementioned areas. On December 17, 2007, the 3rd assessment committee decided the order of bidding for the project. Price negotiations are currently underway with the leading bidder. Also, to improve services to Taipei Neihu Technology Park, Taipei Arena and eastern Taipei, a feasibility study for a north- south MRT line in the eastern section of Taipei has been completed.

Safe-cycling promotional activity for city Elementary School traffic safety promotion—Bus-safety practical course

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The total length of Taipei’s completed and operating MRT lines is 76.6 kilometers. 79. 7 kilometers are under construction (including the Taipei City section of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line). However, in comparison with systems of international cities like Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, New York and London, Taipei lags behind and there is a need to speed up construction work to expand the system. The Department of Rapid Transit Systems has carried out research and planning for the Ankeng line, Sanying line, Wanda Zhonghe-Shulin line, the Shezi, the Shilin and Beitou regional light railway network, the Minsheng-Xizhi line and the north-south line and the plans have been passed on to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications for review and approval. If funding is forthcoming, it is estimated that all the planned lines will be completed by 2021, giving the Taipei metropolitan area over 270 kilometers of MRT lines carrying over 3.6 million passengers a day. At this time, on average there will be an MRT station every 500 meters in metropolitan Taipei, and the MRT will be an indispensable mass transport tool for the people.

(2) Every Effort is Being Made to Provide High-Quality MRT Services

A. System Operation Overview On May 31, 2007, Stage 2 of the Banqiao line

and the Tucheng line began operating, adding to the eight existing lines and taking the total length of MRT lines to 74.4 kilometers (constructed mileage is 76.6 kilometers) with 69 stations (including the two main transfer stations, the Taipei Main Station and Zhongxiao-Fuxing.)Due to the extra convenience brought by the new lines, passenger numbers have grown rapidly and, in 2007, total passenger numbers The MRT Songshan line under construction

The MRT Neihu line from the air

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reached 416.2 million people/times, on average 1.14 million per day, up 88,444 from the 1.05 million of the year before , growth rate of 8.4%. Passenger numbers for 2007 were the highest yearly total ever since the MRT began operating. B. Increasing MRT Safety

According to Nova/CoMET operating data for 2006 from the internationally-respected “Railway Technology Strategy Center,” Imperial College, London, the Taipei MRT won the honor of being ranked first for reliability in the world once again. The top ranking from 2004 to 2006, three years in succession, shows that, in terms of stability and reliability, the Taipei MRT continues to be one of the best MRT systems in the world.

In 2007 the Taipei MRT suffered 36 delays over five minutes. The average distance for each five-minute delay was 1.851 million car kilometers, well over the target of 1.6 million.

As for passenger platform safety, six safety platform doors were installed at the Taipei Main Station and Zhongxiao-Fuxing main transfer stations. In the high-volume stations that have not been fitted with platform doors a “Platform Area Unauthorized Track Entry Warning System,” developed independently by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, has been installed to reduce the number of accidents involving people or objects on the line. When a person or object is detected on the track, an alarm and warning light are activated to notify the station staff that the situation needs handling, effectively raising the MRT system’s safety level. This system won the innovation prize at Taipei City Government’s “6th Taipei City Government Quality Awards.”

Figure 1 : Changes in Average Daily Passenger Volume by Year

10,000 person/time

CoMET is made up of MRT systems with annual passenger volume over 500 million people/times. In 2006, members included Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Par is (metro and regional ra i lway,) Shanghai, Sao Paolo and Tokyo. Nova is made up of MRT system members with annual passenger volume under 500 million people/times. In 2006, members included Buenos Aries, Kowloon-Canton Rai lway, L isbon, Montréal , Naples, Newcastle, Singapore, Taipei, Glasgow, Toronto, Rio de Janei ro , Sant iago, Barcelona, Milan and Delhi.

CoMET and Nova

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C. Improving “Service Quality” On March 26 the first issue of the MRT magazine “Upaper” was published. It is published Monday

through Friday, with approximately 150,000 copies placed in 69 MRT stations every day. The content includes news, special interest articles, knowledge and life information for the public and it also includes contents especially for young people, women and white-collar workers. It can be picked up free of charge at the entrance and exits of MRT stations.

The new high-volume MRT trains purchased by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation have successively been put into service. From March 30, 2007, headway between rush hour services was reduced and the evening rush hour was extended (from 7 m to 7.30pm). In coordination with the installation

of automatic payment machines by the Department of Rapid Transit Systems, starting from May 1, IC token sales and use were introduced in three stages From May 22, IC tokens could be bought and used at 69 MRT stations. On August 8, 2007, the use of magnetic single-use tickets was terminated in all stations, smoothly completing the system conversion work. The IC ticket system is now used throughout the entire MRT network.

To encourage people to use pollution-free transport, develop diverse leisure activities and promote national health, beginning in 2004, the Taipei MRT has allowed passengers to take cycles on to MRT trains on weekends at 5 stations on the The MRT paper “Upaper”

Enjoying the lovely hill scenery from the Maokong Gondola

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Danshui, Xindian and Zhonghe lines. Originally, because of limited space and taking into consideration the interests of other passengers, the opening measures only applied between 6 am and 4 pm; however, after the new MRT trains came into operation, cycles are now allowed from 7 pm to the end of services for the same day from July 21, 2007, to allow for the convenience of people taking cycles on pleasure trips.

Under the “Illuminating MRT stations” plan, in 2007 the Jiantan, Shilin, Zhongxiao-Xinsheng, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Gongguan and Daan stations were chosen for nighttime illumination. The station entry and exit sign lights were replaced with LED to make entrances and exits brighter and more attractive. Special-style solar-power panels were also installed to save energy and protect the environment. Daan station is on a stretch of elevated track. Using the station’s special features, the pillars and side walls of the station have been decorated with light, creating a special night scene.

The public response following the improvement of the toilets on the Muzha line in 2005 was very good and, as a result, heavily-used toilets and toilets requiring renovation on the Danshui line were subjected to improvement work, space was also allocated for independent disabled toilets in stations without existing ones and independent toilets for the disabled/parents and infants also added to provide MRT users with a well-lit, clean and comfortable toilet environment. Priority was given to improving the toilets in Shilin, Jiantan, Minquan West Road, and Shuanglian MRT stations in eastern Taipei and the Zhongshan underground mall toilets. The ratio of women’s to men’s toilets has been raised from 1.33 to 1.83, and 14 separate parent and infant toilets have been added. (3) An Alternative Transport and Leisure System—the Maokong Gondola

The Maokong Gondola has increased the quality of the local leisure industry and improved local transport, offering a dual leisure and transport function. It links neighboring leisure and cultural spots and has improved the local transport environment.

The Maokong Gondola’s nighttime illumination

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2. Pursuing High Quality Transport(1) Traffic Lights Use LED Light Panels and Aluminum Alloy Light Boxes

Changing light panels on traffic lights to LED saves power and increases usage life. The lights use 80% less power than fluorescent bulbs (165 watts compared to 22) and last 10 times longer. Also, LED light panels allow the traffic light angle and range of visibility to be set, reducing driver errors at intersections of multiple roads and increasing safety. Taipei City Government began upgrading the old-style traffic lights and substituting LED panels and light boxes in 2000. As of the end of 2007 the lights had been upgraded at 1,779 intersections and it is estimated that all traffic lights in Taipei will be upgraded by the end of 2008. (2) Using Convenience Stores as Motor Vehicle Supervision Stations

Because of the large number and wide distribution of convenience stores that remain open 24 hours all year round and their convenience for paying traffic fines, the Motor Vehicles Office, Taipei City Government, has actively promoted the “Payment of Car and Motorcycle Motor License and Driving License Renewal Fees in Convenience Stores Plan”. This service was put into operation on May 30th, 2007. People can pay such fees at 7-Eleven (ibon station) and Hi-life (Life-ET machine). The service has proved a success and, in 2007, 13,097 payments were handled in this manner. Allowing license renewal fees to be paid at convenience stores offers the public a greater choice of payment options and can be said to be a measure to increase the convenience and benefit of the public. It has been enthusiastically welcomed by the public.(3) Management of Mobile Advertising Vehicles

To protect Taipei City’s appearance and landscape and implement the principle of the user paying, the “Taipei City Rules for Managing Mobile Advertisements” was set and implemented on January 1, 2005. To ensure traffic safety and its smooth flow and to increase the roadside parking space turnover rate and prevent limited parking spaces from being occupied by a minority of vehicles, Article 28 of the “Metropolitan Highway Ordinances” and Regulation 25 of the “Taipei City Provisional Advertising Management Rules”, set in accordance with Article 5 of the “Road Traffic Management and Penalty Ordinances” were announced. From July 16, 2007, all advertising vehicles are banned from parking on all Taipei roads (including public and publicly owned privately operated car parks) between 7 am and 9 pm. In 2007, 445 cases were reported. Taipei City Police Department Traffic Division towed away 251 advertising vehicles. This has resulted in a marked improvement in Taipei’s problem of long-term parking of advertising vehicles, winning the support and praise of the public.

As the Taipei City transport infrastructure is being gradually completed, people-first, high-quality

transport management measures meeting different needs are being developed and the upgrading and use of intelligent software are being promoted to move towards seamless and intelligent transport environment policies.

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chapter 8 traffic and transportation

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