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Ministry mulls promoting cycling to deal with traffic

Minister of Transportation and Communications Tsai Duei (蔡堆) said yesterday that his ministry was studying the feasibility of implementing measures to promote cycling as a mode of commuting to help deal with traffic problems around the country.

Tsai said that the Institute of Transportation would study the issue, adding that experts at the institute were expected to present conclusions and suggestions in the near future to help the ministry shape its policy on promoting cycling.

Tsai said that his ministry would ask city governments to study whether cycling lanes should be included when building new roads and whether cyclists should be allowed to use sidewalks to facilitate the promotion of cycling as an alternative mode of transport. He also said that the Taipei City Government had been studying whether to make helmets mandatory for cyclists.

Tsai made the remarks in Taitung City during an inspection of construction work on a highway connecting the inland township of Yuli (玉里) in Hualien County and the coastal township of Changpin (長濱) in Taitung County.

Construction of the 16.26km highway, dubbed the Yuchang Highway, is nearing completion, he said, adding that the highway may be open as early as the end of this month if it passes engineering and safety inspections.

The east coast area and the East Rift Valley -- encompassing Hualien and Taitung counties -- are separated by a mountain range running from north to south.

Currently, it takes about two hours to drive from Yuli, which is located inland in the north of the East Rift Valley, to Taitung's Changping, a coastal township facing the Pacific Ocean.

The Yuchang Highway, which will include a 2.6km tunnel, will reduce travel time between the two townships to about 30 minutes, Tsai said.
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