First Day of Dragon Boat Festival Holiday: Taiwan High Speed Congestion Expected, Authorities Advise Afternoon Departures

The Dragon Boat Festival long weekend began today, with the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau (TANFB) identifying nine road segments prone to congestion, including the Changhua System to Puyan System and the National Highway 5 southbound route from Nangang System to Toucheng. To mitigate delays, the bureau advises travelers heading south on western national highways to depart after 12:00 PM, and those heading toward Yilan on National Highway 5 to depart after 5:00 PM.

Data from the TANFB indicates that traffic volume between midnight and 5:00 AM reached 8.9 million vehicle-kilometers, 2.2 times the typical annual average. Total traffic volume for the day is projected to reach 118 million vehicle-kilometers. As of 7:00 AM, traffic flow was 15.3 million vehicle-kilometers, with heavy traffic reported on segments such as Hukou to Zhubei on National Highway 1 and Sanxia to Longtan on National Highway 3.

Key areas predicted to experience congestion throughout the morning include the airport system to Yangmei, Yangmei to Toufen, and the Changhua-Puyan system on National Highway 1, as well as the Zhonghe-Guanxi and Kuaiguan-Wufeng segments on National Highway 3. The bureau emphasizes the importance of vehicle maintenance, staying alert, and avoiding over-reliance on driver-assist systems.

With intermittent afternoon rain forecasted in some regions, the TANFB urges motorists to keep headlights on, maintain safe following distances, and minimize lane changes to ensure traffic safety.