Taipei City Government

On April 26, mayor Ko Wen-je attended the opening event of a forum highlighting transit-oriented development (TOD) strategies. He began by lauding the cleanliness of MRT trains and stations, as well as the unique culture the MRT system has created.
 
According to Ko, reviewing the MRT system in a hindsight, there are three flaws in its initial planning. The first flaw is the failure to comply with TOD standards, and the second being the failure to take advantage of the large passenger traffic at the stations. According to Ko, the MRT should lease out spaces as commercial properties as an additional sources of revenue to offset operating loss.
 
The third issue, given that construction cost a hefty NT$ 600 billion, the MRT system should have driven the development of Taiwan’s railway industry. It is too late now to discuss whether Taiwan should have constructed its own train cars. The discussion should have taken place twenty years ago, noted the mayor.
 
To rectify this trend, Ko noted that future city planning will have to incorporate TOD concepts. He noted that a guideline requiring each of Taipei’s administrative districts to conduct a comprehensive review of urban design every five years has been ignored for over a decade.
 
He requested all of the twelve districts to review their respective urban planning this year in the TOD context for a better coordinated urban plan that involves the use of land and locations of public facilities.
 
The forum brought together officials from the central and the city governments in an effort to map out a TOD-based review principle. The City will continue pooling inputs from both the public and private sectors to lay the groundwork for the city’s next twenty years.