High Speed Rail Pingtung extension earthwork transport, Railway Bureau: 3 diversion measures to reduce impact
To address concerns over traffic congestion from earthwork transport during the High Speed Rail Pingtung extension, the Railway Bureau announced three key mitigation strategies: scheduling adjustments, route diversion, and environmental monitoring.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 19, 2026 at 17:01
- 🔍 Collected: April 19, 2026 at 17:31 (29 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 17:37 (5 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Huang Chiao-Wen, Taipei, 19th) Addressing public concerns that earthwork transport during the construction of the High Speed Rail (HSR) extension to Pingtung may increase the load on Provincial Highway 1 and Highway 17, the Railway Bureau stated today that mitigation measures will be evaluated during the planning, design, and construction phases. Traffic impact will be reduced through phased and zoned dispatching, transport diversion, and full-process monitoring.
Regarding the HSR Pingtung extension project, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Railway Bureau issued a press release noting that the shield tunnel section, the open-cut underground section, and the elevated section each have different peak excavation periods. During the construction phase, the excavation and fill volumes for each stage will be precisely estimated according to the work zones, items, and schedules. Solutions for phased balancing and diversified diversion will be adopted to avoid a concentration of heavy vehicles.
The Railway Bureau explained that the overall earthwork dispatch will utilize multi-directional transport diversion. Part of the earthwork will support the filling for the Pingtung Liukuaicuo HSR station area and base within this project, while the remaining earthwork will be transported to disposal sites in Renwu, Kaohsiung Port, and Chaozhou. This scatters the transport routes and reduces the burden on any single corridor.
In terms of traffic management, the Railway Bureau stated that the excavation schedules for various work items will be flexibly adjusted to avoid peak hours. Comprehensive traffic maintenance measures will be planned to bypass peak traffic periods, relieving pressure on surrounding roads.
Addressing potential air quality impacts during construction, the Railway Bureau noted that quantitative assessments will be conducted for fugitive dust and suspended particulates (PM10, PM2.5). Measures such as covering vehicles, washing vehicles at exits, and street sweeping will be adopted.
Other requirements include using enclosed cargo boxes for vehicles transporting engineering materials and earthwork prone to dust scattering, or tightly covering the cargo boxes with dustproof cloth or nets. The cargo boxes must also have functions or facilities to prevent the leakage of wastewater and sludge, thereby reducing the environmental burden along the routes.
The Railway Bureau indicated that it will establish a coordination mechanism with local governments, police, and highway units to make real-time adjustments and improvements based on actual conditions. Before construction begins, a comprehensive traffic maintenance plan will be proposed, covering transport route planning, peak hour controls, vehicle dispatching, driving safety management, and road cleaning. Traffic conditions will be continuously monitored throughout the construction period.
The Railway Bureau emphasized that smooth local traffic and residents' quality of life are priority tasks that must be addressed during the project's execution, and it will proceed carefully to balance construction with public needs.
The route of the HSR Pingtung extension begins at the tail track south of the platforms at HSR Zuoying Station, and establishes a new HSR Pingtung Station at the Taiwan Sugar Corporation's Liukuaicuo Farm, sharing a station with the relocated TRA Liukuaicuo Station. The total length of the route is approximately 26.2 kilometers. To meet the extension's needs, a maintenance base covering about 17 hectares will be set up south of the planned HSR Pingtung Station. (Editor: Kuan Chung-Wei) 1150419
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(CNA Reporter Huang Chiao-Wen, Taipei, 19th) Addressing public concerns that earthwork transport during the construction of the High Speed Rail (HSR) extension to Pingtung may increase the load on Provincial Highway 1 and Highway 17, the Railway Bureau stated today that mitigation measures will be evaluated during the planning, design, and construction phases. Traffic impact will be reduced through phased and zoned dispatching, transport diversion, and full-process monitoring.
Regarding the HSR Pingtung extension project, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Railway Bureau issued a press release noting that the shield tunnel section, the open-cut underground section, and the elevated section each have different peak excavation periods. During the construction phase, the excavation and fill volumes for each stage will be precisely estimated according to the work zones, items, and schedules. Solutions for phased balancing and diversified diversion will be adopted to avoid a concentration of heavy vehicles.
The Railway Bureau explained that the overall earthwork dispatch will utilize multi-directional transport diversion. Part of the earthwork will support the filling for the Pingtung Liukuaicuo HSR station area and base within this project, while the remaining earthwork will be transported to disposal sites in Renwu, Kaohsiung Port, and Chaozhou. This scatters the transport routes and reduces the burden on any single corridor.
In terms of traffic management, the Railway Bureau stated that the excavation schedules for various work items will be flexibly adjusted to avoid peak hours. Comprehensive traffic maintenance measures will be planned to bypass peak traffic periods, relieving pressure on surrounding roads.
Addressing potential air quality impacts during construction, the Railway Bureau noted that quantitative assessments will be conducted for fugitive dust and suspended particulates (PM10, PM2.5). Measures such as covering vehicles, washing vehicles at exits, and street sweeping will be adopted.
Other requirements include using enclosed cargo boxes for vehicles transporting engineering materials and earthwork prone to dust scattering, or tightly covering the cargo boxes with dustproof cloth or nets. The cargo boxes must also have functions or facilities to prevent the leakage of wastewater and sludge, thereby reducing the environmental burden along the routes.
The Railway Bureau indicated that it will establish a coordination mechanism with local governments, police, and highway units to make real-time adjustments and improvements based on actual conditions. Before construction begins, a comprehensive traffic maintenance plan will be proposed, covering transport route planning, peak hour controls, vehicle dispatching, driving safety management, and road cleaning. Traffic conditions will be continuously monitored throughout the construction period.
The Railway Bureau emphasized that smooth local traffic and residents' quality of life are priority tasks that must be addressed during the project's execution, and it will proceed carefully to balance construction with public needs.
The route of the HSR Pingtung extension begins at the tail track south of the platforms at HSR Zuoying Station, and establishes a new HSR Pingtung Station at the Taiwan Sugar Corporation's Liukuaicuo Farm, sharing a station with the relocated TRA Liukuaicuo Station. The total length of the route is approximately 26.2 kilometers. To meet the extension's needs, a maintenance base covering about 17 hectares will be set up south of the planned HSR Pingtung Station. (Editor: Kuan Chung-Wei) 1150419
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA 'First Hand News' APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.