High-Speed Rail extension to Pingtung to adjust track height for historic bridge

Taiwan's High-Speed Rail extension to Pingtung will proceed with track height adjustments to ensure the preservation of the national historic site, the 'Old Tamsui River Bridge'. The project, adopting the 'Kaohsiung Plan,' involves extending the existing rail line from Zuoying Station southwards to a new underground Kaohsiung Station, enabling a three-line integrated transport hub. It will then cross the Gaoping River to establish the Pingtung Station and a vehicle maintenance base in Liukuai Village, covering a route of approximately 26.2 kilometers.

The extension is currently undergoing its second-stage environmental impact assessment, with the aim of completing it as early as next year. Concerns from environmental assessment committee members and civic groups regarding the proximity of the high-speed rail line to the 'Old Tamsui River Bridge' have been addressed. This historic bridge, completed in 1913 and once Asia's longest, spans the Gaoping River, connecting Pingtung and Kaohsiung and playing a vital role in the region's development.

According to the Railway Bureau, the high-speed rail tracks will maintain a minimum distance of 72 meters from the 'Old Tamsui River Bridge' on the Kaohsiung side, thus not crossing the heritage site. On the Pingtung side, where the train will enter the maintenance base, the line will cross the embankment section near the bridge. To ensure adequate clearance, the elevation of the access line will be adjusted. Furthermore, the second-stage environmental assessment will include enhanced measures to mitigate potential environmental impacts on the bridge, with protection and safety monitoring protocols during construction to be evaluated.