Lawmakers Propose Evaluating Reasonable Tolls for Cross-Island Highways; Freeway Bureau to Report in 3 Months

(Central News Agency, reporter Yu Hsiao-han, Taipei, 10th) Currently, cross-island highways (east-west national highways) are toll-free. Lawmaker Lin Chun-hsien and others have proposed studying the feasibility of toll collection and reasonable rate structures for these highways, requesting the Freeway Bureau to submit a written report within three months.

The main purpose of the Highway Fund is to finance major transportation projects such as new highway construction, widening, facility improvements, and maintenance. Its revenue sources include highway tolls, service area rents, and related ancillary income.

The Transportation Committee of the Legislative Yuan reviewed the budgets for the Highway Fund and the Tourism Development Fund today.

Lawmakers Lin Chun-hsien, Hsu Fu-kuei, and Hsu Chih-chieh jointly proposed a motion requiring the Freeway Bureau to comprehensively review the medium-to-long-term financial structure and sustainability of the Highway Fund. They called for an evaluation of a reasonable toll system based on different vehicle types, usage intensity, peak/off-peak hours, and road load conditions, noting that highway tolls have not been adjusted for ten years.

The motion also requires the Freeway Bureau to study the feasibility of tolling cross-island highways, the traffic impact, and supporting measures, and to submit a written report to the Legislative Yuan within three months.

The motion points out that with the expansion of major highway construction investments, including the National Highway No. 7 Kaohsiung section project, the widening project of National Highway No. 1 from Yangmei to Toufen, and the National Highway No. 1A line, the future funding requirement for highway construction amounts to NT$349.948 billion.

Freeway Bureau Director Chen Wen-jui stated that the bureau will conduct relevant analysis according to the proposal, but noted that the rationale and reasons for the current toll-free status of cross-island highways still exist. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150610