Kaohsiung Public Works Bureau Promotes Aerial Cable Undergrounding and Cleanup While Building Cable GIS Database

To address cluttered streetscapes and hazards caused by excessive utility poles and entangled overhead cables, the Kaohsiung City Public Works Bureau is continuing its dual-track policy of cable undergrounding and aerial line cleanup. Director-General Yang Chin-fu stated that undergrounding requires cross-agency coordination among Taiwan Power Company, district offices, and telecom pipeline operators. Conduit works have recently been completed along Nanfu Street and Lane 129 of Chengqing Road in Fengshan District. Cumulative statistics through 2026 show that approximately 76.53 kilometers of cables have been moved underground, with 2,125 poles removed across the city. For sections where undergrounding has not yet occurred, the bureau enacted guidelines for cables attached to poles along municipal roads. The policy requires responsible parties to label active cables and remove disused wiring. Meanwhile, the city's Pipe Excavation Center reported that an aerial cable spatial information database has been initially established to streamline management and public reporting of damaged or drooping cables.

Key takeaways

• Kaohsiung completed conduit work in Fengshan District, reaching a total of approximately 76.53 kilometers of undergrounded cables and 2,125 removed poles.
• The city issued regulatory principles requiring clear labeling on attached aerial cables and accelerating the removal of abandoned lines.
• The Pipe Excavation Center has developed an initial aerial cable GIS database to facilitate pole management and response to dangling lines.