TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) announced on Monday (Aug. 16) that the Ankeng Light Rail is currently 81% complete and will be open by the end of 2022.

Hou made the statement after inspecting the light rail’s track construction on the Anhsin Bridge, CNA reported. He said that the finished work includes the part that is on street level as well as the connection between the elevated structures.

According to New Taipei’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems, the construction of the street-level track was finished in May, while the connector was completed in July. The future construction work will involve laying tracks on the elevated sections and building the elevated stations.

The Ankeng Light Rail is 7.5 kilometers in length, with four ground-level stations and five elevated stations. The 502-meter Anhsin Bridge in the four-kilometer elevated section crosses the Xindian River to connect Xinhe Elementary School Station and Shisizhang Station, where it will link with the Circular Line.

Taking the light rail is expected to save some New Taipei residents as much as 15-20 minutes in their commutes to Taipei.

(Wikipedia image)

(New Taipei City Government videos)