The Freeway Bureau yesterday unveiled the measures that it would adopt to facilitate traffic during the 228 Memorial Day holiday, forecasting that the heaviest traffic would occur on the first day of the holiday.
The holiday this year is to be from Feb. 28 to March 1.
Traffic volume is expected to reach 11.4 million vehicle-kilometers on the first day of the long weekend, with heavy congestion forecast on southbound lanes of freeways, Traffic Management Division Director Chuo Ming-chun (卓明君) said.
The second-heaviest congestion is expected on northbound lanes of freeways on the final day of the holiday, with traffic volume projected to reach 11.2 million vehicle-kilometers, he said.
However, the traffic volume on that day might be even greater, as university students, whose winter break was extended due to a coronavirus outbreak, are scheduled to return to school on March 2, he added.
“Due to the outbreak, some people might give their children a ride back to campus if they attend universities in the south, which could increase the traffic volume,” Chuo said.
Measures aimed at facilitating holiday traffic include toll-free hours: from 12am to 5am on all three days.
A high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) policy would only be implemented on the Chiang Wei-shui Freeway (Freeway No. 5), the bureau said.
The HOV policy would be in effect from 7am to 12pm on Feb. 28 and Feb. 29 on southbound lanes between the Nangang, Shiding and Pinglin interchanges, it said.
On Feb. 29 and March 1, the HOV policy would be in effect from 2pm to 9pm on northbound traffic between the Suao, Luodong, Yilan and Toucheng interchanges, it added.
During the holiday, tolls would be NT$0.9 per kilometer for small vehicles, the bureau said, adding that while motorists enjoy a toll-free 20km on regular days, that scheme would be suspended for the holiday.
Motorists who drive on the Formosa Freeway (Freeway No. 3) between the Hsinchu and Yenchao interchanges would receive a 20 percent discount on toll fees, it said.
Several feeder roads along the National Sun Yat-sen Freeway (Freeway No. 1) and Freeway No. 3 would be closed during the holiday to control traffic, it added.
In other developments, the bureau said that on Feb. 17 it would publish new policies governing the use of freeway shoulders during peak traffic hours.
Motorists should observe a 60kph speed limit when driving on shoulders, it said.
Currently, only drivers who plan to exit freeways are allowed to drive on the shoulders, the bureau said, adding that the new policy would open shoulders to all motorists as long as they are able to return to the main lanes at least 500m before an exit.
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