It should be a piece of great news for residents of Yilan County: this lovely corner of northeastern Taiwan is set to get plugged into Taiwan’s high speed rail network. The extension of the high speed rail line here will not only cut travel times to and from Taiwan’s eastern coast, but also bring in even more visitors and business to this popular vacation spot.
But there’s a big problem. No one can agree on where Yilan’s high speed rail station should go.
It seemed like a done deal. After spending NT$70 million for expert opinions, Yilan Station appeared to be the best candidate for the newest addition to Taiwan’s network of high speed rail stations. Routing the Yilan County extension of the high speed rail line through here would bring the most economic benefit, since the station is in a built up area. And the station is also the biggest, able to handle the largest amount of passenger traffic.
But suddenly, the transportation ministry has started having second thoughts. The ministry now favors the quieter and more out-of-the-way Sicheng Station instead. That’s because Sicheng is closer to the existing line, meaning less construction and lower costs. Besides, the ministry reasons, Yilan Station sits right near a big curve in the conventional railroad, a potential problem for high speed trains.
Now, it seems that no one is happy. Locals feel the process of selecting a station site is lacking in transparency. And the Yilan County Government seems more interested in a third option, closer to its assembly and offices. What should be a major milestone in the area’s development has instead turned into a bit of a headache. The transportation ministry says it will continue talks until a consensus is reached.