Lai Jui-long Pushes for Southern Extension of Provincial Highway 39 to Renwu! 46.3 Billion TWD Project Aims for Full Completion by 2032

To resolve traffic bottlenecks in southern Taiwan's technology industry corridor, Legislative Yuan member Lai Jui-long convened relevant agencies including the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Road Administration and the Directorate General of Highways today (14th) to coordinate the engineering plan for extending the Highway 39 corridor beneath the high-speed rail southward to Renwu. He is advocating for a total budget of approximately 46.3 billion TWD and urging the Ministry to accelerate administrative procedures and advance all processes in parallel, aiming for full completion and opening by 2032 (Minguo Year 121).

Lai stated that with the rapid development of the Nanzih Science Park, Qiaotou Science Park, and Renwu Technology Industrial Park, industrial and commuting traffic between Kaohsiung and Tainan has become increasingly dense. Existing freeways No. 1 and No. 3, along with Provincial Highway 1, are experiencing growing traffic loads, with congestion becoming more evident during peak hours and holidays. The southern extension of Highway 39 is not only a long-awaited external road for local communities but also a crucial infrastructure project for connecting Kaohsiung and Tainan's technology clusters and improving the southern Taiwan 'S Corridor' transportation network.

According to the Directorate General of Highways, the project starts at the intersection of existing Highway 39 and Highway 28, extends southward along both sides of the high-speed rail corridor, and connects to Shuiguan Road in Renwu District. Excluding the 1.4-kilometer priority section being handled by Kaohsiung City Government, the total length is approximately 19.2 kilometers. Standard sections are planned on both the east and west sides of the high-speed rail, with two express lanes and one mixed-speed lane in each direction, plus sidewalks to balance traffic efficiency and pedestrian safety.

However, due to sensitive areas along the route—including high-speed rail facilities, science parks, and existing industrial zones—engineering plans will require route and design adjustments. These include avoiding high-speed rail facilities and science parks, maintaining a 12-meter safety buffer from the high-speed rail's outer boundary, and adjusting the route in the Renwu section to minimize impact on industrial land allocation.

The total project cost is approximately 46.3 billion TWD, to be advanced in phases. The priority section is expected to be completed by 2028 (Minguo Year 117), with full completion and opening targeted for 2032 (Minguo Year 121). Lai emphasized that as northern Kaohsiung's technology sector continues to expand, transportation infrastructure must be proactively developed in advance, not retrofitted after industries and populations have already moved in. Therefore, he urged the Ministry to adopt more aggressive acceleration strategies, including advancing environmental impact assessments and comprehensive planning in parallel, strengthening coordination with stakeholders along the route, conducting design work simultaneously for the entire 19.2-kilometer stretch, and adopting a phased land acquisition and bidding approach to expedite progress and prevent delays in one section from stalling the entire project.

Lai stated that the southern extension of Highway 39 will become a vital north-south alternative route for the technology corridor between Kaohsiung and Tainan. It will not only relieve traffic on Freeway No. 1 but also strengthen transportation links between northern Kaohsiung, the Tainan metropolitan area, and industrial parks. He will continue to advocate for central government funding and monitor construction progress, urging relevant agencies to cooperate closely to achieve early completion of the entire Highway 39 corridor and build a more convenient, safe, and industry-friendly transportation network for southern Taiwan.