Gaoping No. 2 Expressway Northern Shift Dispute: Self-Help Association Questions NT$30 Billion Waste, Hopes to Return to Original Plan
The Sanhe Village Self-Help Association is questioning the northern shift of the Gaoping No. 2 Expressway route, citing an over NT$30 billion increase in costs and reduced effectiveness in alleviating traffic, advocating for a return to the original plan approved in 2018. The Highway Bureau states the change avoids military camps and a weir intake.
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- 📰 Published: April 25, 2026 at 21:56
- 🔍 Collected: April 25, 2026 at 22:31 (35 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 26, 2026 at 04:54 (6h 23m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Reporter Hong Hsueh-kuang, Kaohsiung, April 25) The dispute over the route of the Gaoping No. 2 Expressway remains unresolved. The Highway Bureau explained earlier that the route change was to avoid military camps and the intake of the Gaoping River weir. The Gaoping No. 2 Expressway Sanhe Village Self-Help Association today questioned that the northern shift would lead to a significant increase in costs exceeding NT$30 billion, hoping to revert to the version approved in 2018.
The Southern Region Highway New Construction Engineering Branch of the Highway Bureau announced on April 23 that the construction project for the second east-west expressway between Kaohsiung and Pingtung was approved by the Executive Yuan in 2025. After comprehensive evaluation, the route was shifted northeast to avoid the military's Dashu North Camp, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's Linyuan Camp, and the intake and water storage area of the Gaoping River Dashu Weir, thereby reducing the impact on environmentally sensitive areas. The project is currently undergoing segmented parallel design.
The Gaoping No. 2 Expressway Sanhe Village Self-Help Association today afternoon presented on-site survey results and official documents to refute, emphasizing that the original route approved in 2018 did not pass through the 205 Arsenal military camp and was approximately 3 kilometers from the weir body, providing sufficient response distance. The official claim that the route needs to shift northward is illogical.
The Self-Help Association stated that shifting the route northward would move the interchange to the northern Xiupu, which would not help alleviate traffic flow on the southern Provincial Highway 1 and Provincial Highway 88. Furthermore, because it passes through a larger water protection area, the construction cost has surged by over NT$30 billion.
The Self-Help Association emphasized that local residents are not against the construction of the Gaoping No. 2 Expressway but question the Highway Bureau's perfunctory shirking of responsibility and allowing the Pingtung end to start construction. Currently, the Self-Help Association has formally petitioned the Control Yuan and requested an investigation, hoping the government will correct its erroneous policy and restore the route to the version approved in 2018, fulfilling the original intention of alleviating traffic congestion in Gaoping. (Edited by Chen Jen-hua) 1150425
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(Central News Agency, Reporter Hong Hsueh-kuang, Kaohsiung, April 25) The dispute over the route of the Gaoping No. 2 Expressway remains unresolved. The Highway Bureau explained earlier that the route change was to avoid military camps and the intake of the Gaoping River weir. The Gaoping No. 2 Expressway Sanhe Village Self-Help Association today questioned that the northern shift would lead to a significant increase in costs exceeding NT$30 billion, hoping to revert to the version approved in 2018.
The Southern Region Highway New Construction Engineering Branch of the Highway Bureau announced on April 23 that the construction project for the second east-west expressway between Kaohsiung and Pingtung was approved by the Executive Yuan in 2025. After comprehensive evaluation, the route was shifted northeast to avoid the military's Dashu North Camp, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's Linyuan Camp, and the intake and water storage area of the Gaoping River Dashu Weir, thereby reducing the impact on environmentally sensitive areas. The project is currently undergoing segmented parallel design.
The Gaoping No. 2 Expressway Sanhe Village Self-Help Association today afternoon presented on-site survey results and official documents to refute, emphasizing that the original route approved in 2018 did not pass through the 205 Arsenal military camp and was approximately 3 kilometers from the weir body, providing sufficient response distance. The official claim that the route needs to shift northward is illogical.
The Self-Help Association stated that shifting the route northward would move the interchange to the northern Xiupu, which would not help alleviate traffic flow on the southern Provincial Highway 1 and Provincial Highway 88. Furthermore, because it passes through a larger water protection area, the construction cost has surged by over NT$30 billion.
The Self-Help Association emphasized that local residents are not against the construction of the Gaoping No. 2 Expressway but question the Highway Bureau's perfunctory shirking of responsibility and allowing the Pingtung end to start construction. Currently, the Self-Help Association has formally petitioned the Control Yuan and requested an investigation, hoping the government will correct its erroneous policy and restore the route to the version approved in 2018, fulfilling the original intention of alleviating traffic congestion in Gaoping. (Edited by Chen Jen-hua) 1150425
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Texts, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.