Motorists are advised to check the latest traffic reports before heading to the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport because expansion of Freeway No. 2 will begin next month, the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau said yesterday.
Freeway No. 2 goes from the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the west to the Yingge Interchange (鶯歌) in the east, which connects Freeway No. 3. Traffic on the 20.4km Freeway No. 2 is often congested during rush hours on week days as well as during major national holidays.
The construction will help expand the traffic lanes on the freeway, the bureau said. Specifically, the northbound and southbound lanes of Freeway No. 2 from Dayuan Interchange (大園) to Airport Interchange will be expanded from a total of four lanes to eight lanes.
Between the Airport Interchange and Yingge Interchange, lanes will also be expanded from four to six.
The first part of the construction will begin on June 1, the bureau said.
Part of the freeway will still be open to traffic during the construction phase to minimize the impact on motorists, the bureau said.
The latest information on the progress of the construction will be posted along the freeway, as well as through radio broadcasts and the bureau's Web site at www.freeway.gov.tw.
The bureau estimated the total cost of construction would reach NT$12.8 billion (US$3.9 billion).
Separately, the bureau reported yesterday that accidents on the freeways reached 9,430, down 15.9 percent from 2007.
Specifically, 88 of the accidents were categorized as A1 accidents, which involved death of motorists or passengers within 24 hours after the accident. Accidents in the A1 category last year led to 98 dead and 104 people injured.
Compared with 2007, the number of A1 accidents fell by about 13 percent. The number of people who died in A1 accidents also dropped by about 13 percent.
Meanwhile, dangerous driving behavior, driving while intoxicated and flat or loose tires were identified by the bureau as the three main causes of the A1 accidents.
About 40 percent of the A1 accidents last year occurred between 10pm and 6am, the bureau added.
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