Dragon Boat Festival Holiday's Second Day Sees National Highway Traffic 1.2 Times Weekday Levels, 8 Sections Prone to Congestion in Morning

Taipei, June 20 (CNA) Traffic on Taiwan's national highways is expected to reach 109 million vehicle-kilometers on the second day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, about 1.2 times the average weekday, the Freeway Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said. It also announced eight sections of the highway prone to congestion in the morning, including National Freeway 1 southbound from Yangmei to Toufen and National Freeway 5 southbound from Nangang System to Toucheng.

The second day of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the Freeway Bureau said in a press release that the average traffic volume from midnight to 5 a.m. was 4.6 million vehicle-kilometers, 1.1 times the average weekday (4.0 million vehicle-kilometers). Currently, road conditions nationwide are generally normal, with traffic volume reaching 8.5 million vehicle-kilometers as of 7 a.m.

The Freeway Bureau estimates that the national highway traffic volume today will be 109 million vehicle-kilometers, 1.2 times the average weekday (93 million vehicle-kilometers).

The Freeway Bureau predicts that key congested sections this morning will include National Freeway 1 southbound from Yangmei to Toufen and Changhua System to Puyan System, and northbound from Yuanshan to Dahua System; National Freeway 3 southbound from Tucheng to Guansi, KuaiGuan to Wufeng, and Caotun to Mingjian; National Freeway 5 southbound from Nangang System to Toucheng; and National Freeway 10 eastbound from Dingjin System to Yanchao System.

The Freeway Bureau suggests that southbound travelers on western national freeways should try to depart after 12 p.m., and southbound travelers on National Freeway 5 should depart after 5 p.m. Northbound travelers on western national freeways are advised to depart before 9 a.m. from the southern region and before 12 p.m. from the central region. Northbound travelers on National Freeway 5 can depart before 9 a.m. to save travel time.

Regarding today's national highway traffic diversion measures, the Freeway Bureau explained that they include the closure of southbound entrances at National Freeway 1 Puyan System and National Freeway 5 Shiding and Pinglin from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.; the closure of northbound entrances at National Freeway 1 Huwei, Puyan System, and National Freeway 3 Xibin from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.; high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) restrictions on northbound entrances at National Freeway 5 Suao, Luodong, Yilan, and Toucheng from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; single toll rates, an 80% discount on single toll rates for National Freeway 3 from Hsinchu System to Yanchao System, opening of shoulder lanes, alternative routes, and ramp metering.