Highway Traffic Expected to Increase 1.2x on Weekends During Summer Vacation; 14 Sections Prone to Congestion

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 23) With the summer vacation approaching, the Directorate General of Highways (DGH) announced today that traffic volume is expected to increase by about 1.2 times on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays due to tourist travel. Fourteen sections, including the Guosheng Highway (National Freeway No. 5) northbound section from Yilan to Pinglin, are prone to congestion. Measures such as opening additional shoulders and maintaining high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) restrictions on National Freeway No. 5 northbound from 3 PM to 8 PM on Sundays have been announced.

This year's summer vacation will begin on July 1. The Directorate General of Highways (DGH) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications issued a press release stating that, based on traffic conditions in recent summer vacations, it is estimated that there will be a significant increase in tourist traffic on national highways every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during this summer vacation period. The total daily traffic volume is expected to be between 106 to 108 million vehicle-kilometers, approximately 1.2 times that of weekdays. Among these, National Freeway No. 5 is expected to experience heavy traffic southbound on Fridays and Saturdays, and northbound on Sundays and Mondays.

The DGH pointed out that five major national highway traffic diversion measures will be implemented during the summer vacation from July 3 to August 31.

First, HOV Restrictions: HOV restrictions will continue to be implemented every Sunday from 3 PM to 8 PM at the northbound entrances of the Suao, Luodong, Yilan, and Toucheng interchanges on National Freeway No. 5.

Second, Shoulder Opening: From Fridays to Mondays, existing open shoulders will operate as usual and will be adjusted flexibly as needed. Additionally, from 7 AM to 8 PM on Fridays, the northbound exit of National Freeway No. 3's Shenlu section and the southbound section of the Nangang Link Road will be opened.

Third, Alternative Routes: For travel from Toucheng to Pinglin on National Freeway No. 5, it is recommended to use Provincial Highway No. 9. For travel between Hsinchu and Tainan on National Freeway No. 1 and No. 3, it is recommended to use Provincial Highway No. 61. For travel between Nantou and Taichung on National Freeway No. 6, it is recommended to use Provincial Highway No. 63. For travel between Wufeng on National Freeway No. 3 and Taichung System Interchange on National Freeway No. 1 or Zhonggang System Interchange on National Freeway No. 3, it is recommended to use Provincial Highway No. 74 to connect to National Freeway No. 4.

Fourth, Suspension of Construction: Construction and routine maintenance work on all national highways will be suspended all day on Saturdays and Sundays, except for emergency repairs and engineering work that does not affect traffic.

Fifth, Ramp Metering: Ramp metering will be implemented at entrance ramps based on traffic conditions and will be adjusted flexibly.

The DGH indicated that during the summer vacation, traffic volume on national highways will be high from Fridays to Mondays. Congestion is likely to occur for extended periods on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings southbound on National Freeway No. 1 (Yangmei-Toufen, Changhua System-Puyan System), National Freeway No. 3 (Zhonghe-Guanxi, KuaiGuan-Wufeng), and National Freeway No. 5 (Nangang System-Toucheng). On Sunday afternoons, northbound congestion is likely on National Freeway No. 1 (Beidou-Changhua, Taichung-Houli, Miaoli-Hukou, Yuanshan-Dahua System), National Freeway No. 3 (Zhushan-Zhongxing, Caotun-Wufeng, Dashan-Xiangshan, Guanxi-Daxi), and National Freeway No. 5 (Yilan-Pinglin). On Monday afternoons, northbound congestion is likely on National Freeway No. 5 (Yilan-Pinglin).

The DGH advises travelers to avoid these times and sections or to use periods when the highways are less congested. For the western part of the country, it is recommended to depart before 8 AM or after 12 PM on Saturdays for southbound travel, and before 9 AM for southern regions and before 12 PM for central regions on Sundays for northbound travel.

Regarding National Freeway No. 5, the DGH suggests that southbound travelers on Fridays depart before 9 AM, and on Saturdays depart before 6 AM. For northbound travel on Sundays, depart before 9 AM, and on Mondays, depart before 12 PM.

The DGH reminds the public that high temperatures during the summer vacation can easily lead to vehicle breakdowns or tire blowouts. It urges everyone to perform regular vehicle maintenance and thoroughly check their vehicle's condition before traveling. In case of a tire blowout, do not brake suddenly. Release the accelerator to slow down, grip the steering wheel firmly, activate the turn signal, and gradually glide the vehicle to the shoulder. Then, turn on the hazard warning lights and move to a safe location as soon as possible. Use the Freeway 1968 App for one-click reporting, call the 1968 customer service hotline, or use the emergency call boxes to notify the traffic control center. Do not linger in the traffic lanes to avoid secondary accidents. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150623

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