TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Yilan County Government said Monday the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has submitted the Yilan City–Luodong Township elevated railway project to the Cabinet, seeking expedited approval for a 2035 opening.

The county government said the project is set to span 16.1 km, including 3.7 km already elevated. It will upgrade four stations along this section to elevated structures and add a new operations center, per CNA. Upon completion, nine level crossings and four overpasses will be removed, easing traffic and boosting local development.

The project will cost NT$50.15 billion (US$ 1.63 billion). The county government hopes the Cabinet will approve reducing the local government’s share from NT$10.59 billion to NT$5.75 billion, with the Cabinet covering part of the land acquisition and site construction costs.

The project passed environmental review last year and will begin once the Cabinet approves it. Some county residents also called for elevating the railway section from Toucheng Township to Jiaoxi Township. The county government responded that it will conduct further assessments.

The ministry said the elevated railway will pass through the county’s city center and connect with the plan to extend the high-speed rail to Yilan. This will make the county a key link between Greater Taipei and the east.

The high-speed rail extension to Yilan has passed environmental reviews and is expected to open by 2036. The route will start at Nangang Station, pass through New Taipei while avoiding the Feitsui Reservoir catchment area. The Yilan station will be located near the county government, making the travel time about 20 minutes.

However, the elevated railway project and high-speed rail extension have raised concerns about fragmented land and challenges in land acquisition. Issues such as dense buildings near some railway sections, making demolition difficult, and mismatched routes between the railway and high-speed rail could complicate connections.