Freeway Bureau Urges Public to Take Buses on Taipei-Yilan Route to Save Time Amid Dragon Boat Festival Congestion

(CNA, Taipei, June 6, by reporter Huang巧雯) With the Dragon Boat Festival holiday approaching, National Freeway 5 is expected to be congested. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Freeway Bureau stated today that it urges the public traveling between the Taipei and Yilan areas to prioritize taking public transportation. Based on past experience, taking an intercity bus can save an average of over 30 minutes compared to driving.

The Dragon Boat Festival holiday lasts for three days, from June 19 to 21. The Freeway Bureau issued a press release stating that road users on the national freeways during the holiday are expected to be mainly traveling for tourism and returning home, with the Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung areas expected to see a large influx of people.

The Freeway Bureau pointed out that based on analysis of historical data, it is estimated that on the peak southbound days of Freeway 5 (the first two days of the holiday), traffic will be concentrated from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the peak northbound days (the last two days of the holiday), traffic will begin to emerge from 9 a.m. and continue until late at night.

To alleviate peak traffic flow, the Freeway Bureau has planned measures such as closing the southbound entrance ramps at Shiding and Pinglin during peak hours, implementing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) controls at the northbound entrances from Su'ao to Toucheng, and ramp metering. During the closure of the Shiding southbound entrance, it will be converted into a dedicated entrance for buses, which will not affect their passage.

As heavy traffic and congestion are expected on National Freeway 5, the Freeway Bureau calls on the public to prioritize public transportation when traveling between the Taipei and Yilan areas. According to past experience, taking an intercity bus can save an average of more than 30 minutes of travel time compared to driving.

To encourage the public to use public transportation, the Freeway Bureau stated that during the holiday period, priority measures such as dedicated bus lanes, use of road shoulders, and exemption from ramp metering controls will be implemented on Freeway 5 for buses. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150606