Taipei City Government Refutes Criticism, Says 'Taipei Grand Trail' Progress Detailed in 2024 Guidebook

(Central News Agency, reporter Yang Shu-min, Taipei, 7th) DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang yesterday discussed the Taipei Grand Trail, claiming that the Chiang Wan-an administration had made no changes and was engaging in evasive answers. In response, the Taipei City Government's Department of Land Engineering stated today that the results can be seen in the 2024 Taipei Grand Trail guidebook.

When asked about the city government's planning for the Taipei Grand Trail during a joint interview on the 6th, Shen said he was referring to the transportation network planning for all trails, a policy inherited from the previous administration. He stated, "The Chiang administration has not made any changes" and urged them not to give evasive answers.

Shen also said that hiking trails must combine "natural paths with cultural paths." The Department of Land Engineering issued a press release stating that the Taipei Grand Trail is precisely a plan that integrates nature and culture, and the city government continues to work towards this goal. The results, it said, can be reviewed in the 2024 "Taipei Grand Trail Guidebook."

The Department stated that the achievements of the past three-plus years were outlined in a press release on the 6th, including the completion of new highlights such as the "Caoshan Waterfall Suspension Bridge," "Houkenshuikan Trail Suspension Bridge," and the "Nighttime Lighting Optimization of the Zhubai Path at Zhinan Temple." It also mentioned the active renovation of old illegal structures around Yuanshan. In 2024, a new set of Grand Trail badges was launched, and this year, a "Monthly Gem King" challenge event was introduced, resulting in an 80% increase in average participation and a 96% satisfaction rate among hikers.

The Department further stated that all 18 trail groups in the city are conveniently accessible by public transportation, and nearly all of the city's 155 trails belong to these 18 groups. Even the few trails that are geographically independent and not part of a group can be reached by public transport.

Regarding Shen's example of the Fengguizui route, where he noted insufficient minibuses and inconvenient access points, leading most people to enter and exit via Fengguizui, the Department explained that due to road width limitations, only minibuses are suitable. It added that hikers can enter from different trailheads and take different buses to connect to the city's public transport network. It is unreasonable to expect a single minibus to service every trailhead of a trail group, and the Department urged against armchair theorizing. (Editor: Huang Mingxi) 1150607