Highway Bureau Urges Public Transit Use and Detours to Avoid Danjiang Bridge Congestion

(CNA, Taipei, May 21, by reporter Huang Qiao-wen) The Danjiang Bridge has recently become a popular holiday attraction. The Highway Bureau stated that weekend peak traffic hours are from 9 to 10 AM and 3 to 5 PM, with congestion not easing until 7 PM. The bureau urges the public to avoid these peak times, suggesting drivers take alternative routes or use public transportation. Since its official opening on May 12, the Danjiang Bridge has not only eased congestion on the Guandu Bridge and reduced traffic on Provincial Highway 2 by 10-20%, a noticeable improvement for commuters, but has also recently become a popular photo spot for weekend tourists. The Northern Region Maintenance Engineering Branch of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Highway Bureau issued a press release stating that according to last weekend's traffic data, a wave of tourist traffic heads to Tamsui from 9 to 10 AM on holidays. Another surge occurs from 3 to 5 PM with crowds coming to watch the sunset. The overall traffic flow does not begin to ease until 7 PM. To address the potential for weekend traffic flocking to the Danjiang Bridge to cause congestion on the Bali-Tamsui sections of Provincial Highway 64 and Provincial Highway 61, the Northern Branch noted that the Highway Bureau has already collaborated with the New Taipei City Transportation Bureau, Police Department, and other relevant agencies to develop response plans for holiday traffic. When traffic backlogs on the northbound Tamsui end of Provincial Highway 61 reach a warning level, the Northern Branch will immediately activate its response mechanism. In addition to dynamically broadcasting real-time travel times and traffic information via electronic signs (CMS) along the route, traffic signal timings on surface roads will be flexibly adjusted in coordination with the New Taipei City Transportation Bureau to ensure a minimum level of traffic flow. The Northern Branch also announced a 'two-pronged strategy' to avoid traffic jams. It advises people heading to the Tamsui and Bali areas during peak afternoon hours on holidays to park their vehicles on the outskirts and transfer to public transportation such as the Danhai Light Rail, the MRT Tamsui Line, or ferries. This not only avoids the frustration of queuing on the main bridge and searching for parking but also allows for more precise travel time management. For road users who still need to drive on holidays, the Northern Branch reminds them to pay close attention to the CMS electronic sign information along Provincial Highway 64 and Provincial Highway 61. If heavy traffic and backlogs are observed on the main Danjiang Bridge, they should detour early at key decision points to alternative routes to disperse traffic. Decision Point 1 (Wugu 2 Interchange on TH 64) Alternative Route: TH 64 Wugu Ramp → Chengtai Rd → Guandu Bridge → Provincial Highway 2 → Danhai New Town → Danjiang Bridge. Decision Point 2 (Guanyinshan Interchange on TH 64) Alternative Route: TH 64 Guanyinshan Interchange → Lingyun Rd → Chengtai Rd → Guandu Bridge → Provincial Highway 2 → Danhai New Town → Danjiang Bridge. Decision Point 3 (Bali Interchange on TH 64) Alternative Route: TH 64 Bali Ramp →