Ex-Deputy Mayor's Election Run Turned Neihu Traffic Promises into 'Empty Tickets,' Says Candidate Wu Hsin-tai

Taipei City Councilor candidate Wu Hsin-tai of the Taiwan Statebuilding Party has sharply criticized the city government's approach to the persistent traffic problems in the Neihu district. Wu dismissed the administration's reported improvements, such as a 6.3% reduction in travel time and increased YouBike usage, as mere "cosmetic surgery" that fails to address the core issues and disconnects from citizens' daily experiences.

“

The blue camp's move is only to cover up their guilty conscience about their incompetence in municipal affairs.

Wu specifically targeted former Deputy Mayor Li Chih-tsai, who had previously pledged to resolve Neihu's traffic woes. She accused Li of abandoning his post mid-term to pursue a mayoral bid in New Taipei City, effectively turning his promises into "empty tickets" for Neihu residents. Wu highlighted that even a KMT councilor acknowledged the traffic jams stem from vehicles unable to access the highway, indicating the city government hasn't solved the fundamental problem.

“

The city government only knows how to use public relations data from 'micro-surgery' on surface roads to cover up the truth, and former Deputy Mayor Li Chih-tsai, who promised to solve the Neihu technology park's traffic, ran away mid-term for the election, turning Neihu's traffic into an unfulfilled promise.

To tackle the congestion, Wu advocated for a dual approach. On the demand side, she urged the city to overcome the "no space in Neihu" excuse by addressing the "separation of living and working" issue. This involves using urban renewal incentives and public land to create affordable housing or dormitories near the tech park, coupled with flexible work hours to reduce long commutes. On the supply side, she called for Mayor Chiang Wan-an to coordinate with neighboring regions and the central government to increase high-speed rail services and commuter trains.

“

The source of the traffic jam is that vehicles cannot get onto the national highway, causing congestion on Jiuzong Road.

Wu emphasized that resolving Neihu's traffic requires a dedicated commitment from leadership that prioritizes residents' well-being over political maneuvering. She and the Taiwan Statebuilding Party vowed to diligently oversee the situation and work towards improving the neglected transportation network in the harbor and lake district.

“

When Neihu is about to face the dark period of East Ring Section construction and road reduction, it most needs a deputy mayor for engineering to be stationed, but Li Chih-tsai resigned to run for mayor of New Taipei City in 2026, making Neihu's traffic an unfulfilled promise.