Taipei: The Taipei MRT's Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station opened Sunday, improving public transportation in eastern Xinyi District and potentially boosting local development after one of the city's most challenging Metro construction projects, according to authorities. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said the 1.4-kilometer extension provides residents with a direct MRT connection to Tamsui without requiring a transfer.
According to Focus Taiwan, Chiang emphasized that the new station will offer an alternative to buses and help alleviate peak-hour congestion on Fude Street and Xinyi Road. It will enable passengers to travel directly to various destinations, including Taipei 101, Xiangshan, Taipei Main Station, National Taiwan University Hospital, Shilin, Beitou, and Tamsui, without changing trains.
The project faced significant engineering challenges as the station was constructed beneath Fude Street, which is only 25 meters wide, Taipei's Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) reported. Excavation reached depths equivalent to about 10 stories, with heavy construction equipment operating just 60 centimeters from nearby homes, necessitating highly precise construction work.
DORTS noted that the construction also encountered difficult geological conditions. The shallow soil, previously a wetland, was notably soft, posing the risk of construction equipment sinking into it. To address this, over 5,000 bags of cement were used to reinforce the ground.
Further complications arose from encountering bedrock that was about four times harder than anticipated, reducing the tunnel boring machine's progress to just 2.5 meters per day. Engineers adopted modified construction methods to overcome these challenges and complete the project.
On the same day, large crowds gathered to experience the station's first trains. Among them was 26-year-old railway enthusiast Lin Yang-chun, who has a deep appreciation for the MRT system stemming from childhood outings with his grandfather. Alex, a 50-year-old Canadian who once lived near Fude Street, also visited with his family, expressing his excitement after waiting 20 years for the extension, which he believes will offer more options for exploring Taipei.