Councilor Calls for Increased Motorcycle Access Hours on Zhongxiao West Road, Taipei City Department of Transportation to Evaluate
Taipei City Councilor Li Ming-hsien today suggested expanding motorcycle access hours on Zhongxiao West Road, citing a decrease in overall traffic accidents since night-time access was opened. Department of Transportation Commissioner Hsieh Ming-hung stated that it will be re-evaluated after the completion of the Twin Stars Building development.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 21:59
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 22:32 (32 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 12, 2026 at 05:28 (6h 56m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Huang Li-chen, Taipei, May 11th) Taipei City Councilor Li Ming-hsien today stated that in the past five years, since Zhongxiao West Road was opened for night-time motorcycle access, the overall traffic accident data has decreased from 31 to 26 incidents. He suggested expanding the access hours. Department of Transportation Commissioner Hsieh Ming-hung said that it will be re-evaluated after the completion of the Twin Stars Building development.
Taipei City Council held a transportation department interpellation and response session this afternoon. Kuomintang City Councilor Li Ming-hsien questioned that after Zhongxiao West Road (Chongqing North Road - Zhongshan North Road) was opened for night-time motorcycle access, the overall traffic accident data (cars plus motorcycles) decreased from 31 to 26 incidents, indicating an overall decrease in traffic accidents.
At the same time, if only motorcycles are considered, there were only 5 traffic accidents, averaging about 1 per year, which shows that opening Zhongxiao West Road to motorcycles has not worsened traffic conditions; instead, the data suggests it is safer.
Li Ming-hsien explained that Zhongxiao West Road had been closed to motorcycles for 44 years since 1978, until former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je opened it for night-time motorcycle access from 11 PM to 6 AM the next morning on December 14, 2022, before leaving office. There was no drastic change in traffic accident data before and after the opening of motorcycle access. Does the data indicate that riding motorcycles on Zhongxiao West Road is safer?
He demanded that the Department of Transportation abandon its prejudice against motorcycles and suggested re-evaluating a further expansion of motorcycle access hours.
Zhang Jian-hua, Director of the Department of Transportation Management, responded that according to previous research simulation results, if other periods were opened for motorcycle access, there would be potential dangers due to the interweaving of motorcycles and buses, and it would lead to inefficient bus operations. It is expected that a further evaluation and discussion will be conducted after the completion of the Twin Stars Building development and stabilization of traffic flow.
Hsieh Ming-hung also stated that currently, during the 11 PM opening hours, there are fewer bus services. If other times are opened, the risk of interweaving with buses still exists. He hopes to evaluate the overall traffic situation after the completion of the Twin Stars Building development (estimated to be by the end of 2027) and promised to submit an initial plan within one month. (Editor: Lee Hsi-chang) 1150511
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(Central News Agency reporter Huang Li-chen, Taipei, May 11th) Taipei City Councilor Li Ming-hsien today stated that in the past five years, since Zhongxiao West Road was opened for night-time motorcycle access, the overall traffic accident data has decreased from 31 to 26 incidents. He suggested expanding the access hours. Department of Transportation Commissioner Hsieh Ming-hung said that it will be re-evaluated after the completion of the Twin Stars Building development.
Taipei City Council held a transportation department interpellation and response session this afternoon. Kuomintang City Councilor Li Ming-hsien questioned that after Zhongxiao West Road (Chongqing North Road - Zhongshan North Road) was opened for night-time motorcycle access, the overall traffic accident data (cars plus motorcycles) decreased from 31 to 26 incidents, indicating an overall decrease in traffic accidents.
At the same time, if only motorcycles are considered, there were only 5 traffic accidents, averaging about 1 per year, which shows that opening Zhongxiao West Road to motorcycles has not worsened traffic conditions; instead, the data suggests it is safer.
Li Ming-hsien explained that Zhongxiao West Road had been closed to motorcycles for 44 years since 1978, until former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je opened it for night-time motorcycle access from 11 PM to 6 AM the next morning on December 14, 2022, before leaving office. There was no drastic change in traffic accident data before and after the opening of motorcycle access. Does the data indicate that riding motorcycles on Zhongxiao West Road is safer?
He demanded that the Department of Transportation abandon its prejudice against motorcycles and suggested re-evaluating a further expansion of motorcycle access hours.
Zhang Jian-hua, Director of the Department of Transportation Management, responded that according to previous research simulation results, if other periods were opened for motorcycle access, there would be potential dangers due to the interweaving of motorcycles and buses, and it would lead to inefficient bus operations. It is expected that a further evaluation and discussion will be conducted after the completion of the Twin Stars Building development and stabilization of traffic flow.
Hsieh Ming-hung also stated that currently, during the 11 PM opening hours, there are fewer bus services. If other times are opened, the risk of interweaving with buses still exists. He hopes to evaluate the overall traffic situation after the completion of the Twin Stars Building development (estimated to be by the end of 2027) and promised to submit an initial plan within one month. (Editor: Lee Hsi-chang) 1150511
Choose to stand with facts, your every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.