Cyclist Friendly Kaohsiung / 自行車友善城市 高雄
Cyclist Friendly Kaohsiung
◎English Translation:Lin Fang-ju
◎Photos Courtesy of Pao Chung-hui, Kaohsiung Environmental Bureau
Kaohsiung City Government has been working hard to create more environmentally friendly transportation systems. Cycling has always been popular in Kaohsiung and interest has certainly increased with the extensive and newly developed bike path network. With these extensive bike paths it is now safer and more convenient for cyclists and pedestrians to get to work and school. In 2010, Kaohsiung was featured by CNN as being one of the top cycling cities in Asia and by the end of 2013 cyclists will be able to enjoy 600 kilometers of bike paths.
Currently, Kaohsiung has approximately 250 kilometers of bike paths, including Cueihua Cyclist's Bridge that opened in 2010. The bridge is Taiwan's first cyclist bridge that is used for crossing main roads and keeping cyclists and pedestrians safe from busy traffic. Cueihua Bridge crosses over busy Chongde and Cueihua 4th Roads. In 2011, the City Government continued with its development of new paths and continued to integrate them with existing ones. Currently two north and south bound paths are being planned with the scenic mountains in one direction and the ocean in the other.
The City Government plans to build a second cyclist bridge across Zhongshan and Kaixuan Roads with an accompanying tree lined pedestrian bridge. Forecasted as a new landmark for Cianjhen District, the second cyclist bridge and accompanying park will provide more security for cyclists and a park for people to relax. The bridges will also provide visitors a more interesting and safer way to travel around Kaohsiung. Cyclists are also encouraged to visit the service center at the Heart of the Love River which offers shower facilities, bicycle repair, rest area and coffee shop.
Kaohsiung City Government has also launched a public bicycle rental scheme that provides 49 racks with automated bicycle rental to make cycling more convenient. Central Park MRT Station's rack is used most frequently. The city is planning on adding 25 rental racks over the next year, which will be mostly located near MRT stations, with the first rental hour being free. Kaohsiung certainly is a cyclist friendly city!
自行車友善城市 高雄
◎文／葉娜慧 ◎照片提供／鮑忠暉、高雄市政府環保局
高雄市騎單車熱潮方興未艾，高雄自行車道系統網絡繁密，市民朋友乘騎單車除可達到休閒、通勤的目的，高雄建置的自行車環境更於2010年受到國際媒體CNN評選為亞洲五大單車城市之一。市政府全力打造友善自行車環境，為提供單車愛好者與行人安全、便捷的用路環境，建置完善的自行車道路網絡，預計103年底前，高雄自行車道將達600公里。
高雄市現已完成約250公里的自行車道，2010年起開放的「翠華路自行車橋」，是台灣首座跨越市區主要道路的自行車道橋，該座自行車橋橋樑跨越交通流量大的崇德、翠華路段，專門提供自行車騎士與行人使用，車友從此不需再與車爭道，安全獲得保障。為使自行車道路網更加完善，市府今年將繼續興建第二座自行車橋，由中山四路跨越凱旋四路，將是通往高雄國際機場的地標，凱旋路中央將另行規劃一座空中花園專供行人使用，車道將搭配周邊景觀進行綠化。完成後的第二座自行車橋，可紓解原本擁擠的車潮、人潮，並提供市民休憩空間，背包客更可以單車遊高雄，體驗深度旅遊的樂趣。此外，市政府在「愛河之心」設置的自行車休憩站設有簡易沐浴設備，體貼車友，讓疲累的騎士可以休息、補充體力，打造人性化的休息空間。
除了現有自行車道系統，2011年市政府將進一步以開發新路線為主，並同步整合舊有自行車道，規劃二條南北向自行車道，分成山線及海線，並持續發展通勤型自行車道，鼓勵市民善用自行車通勤，未來亦將打造更多優質專用道，提供民眾多元的自行車道路網。
為了方便單車使用者，高雄市設置有49處公共自行車租賃據點，使用這項設施的車友日益增加，據統計，目前以捷運中央公園站的使用人數最多。現今除推出前1小時租賃免費的措施外，明年可望再行增擴25處公共自行車租賃據點，以捷運周邊人口密集處為主，成為對鐵馬族最友善的城市。
德國姊妹市礦山縣來訪
高雄市的姊妹市德國礦山縣縣長傅格爾於10月26日拜會高雄市長陳菊，盼加強雙邊的友誼，同時也邀請陳市長於2014年訪問礦山縣，慶祝雙方締盟20週年。
A visit from Kaohsiung's sister city Erzgebirgskreis County
On October 26th Mayor Frank Vogel of Germany's Erzgebirgskreis County led a delegation to visit Mayor Chen Chu. His aims were to strengthen the cities' friendship and personally invite Mayor Chen to visit in 2014 and celebrate a 20 year partnership.