The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday said that Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) did not take sufficient action to prevent traffic congestion on freeways on the first days of the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend.
The criticism came after drivers, especially those on the Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Freeway (Freeway No. 5), experienced heavy congestion on Thursday, the first day of the four-day holiday.
Some complained that it took four hours to drive from New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋) to Yilan County.
Photo: Lin Ching-lun, Taipei Times
The KMT said that traffic diversion measures are obviously lacking, but Lin showed an arrogant attitude in responding to the issue.
He did nothing more than urge drivers to be “smarter” and not be “part of the congestion” by avoiding roads during peak hours, the KMT said.
Lin is shifting responsibility to members of the public, making him “the most irresponsible transportation minister ever,” it said.
Traffic conditions tomorrow, the last day of the holiday and when many people will be returning home, must improve, the KMT said.
Many transportation experts have proposed solutions to the congestion and Lin should review the proposals and update his strategy, it said.
KMT Legislator Lu Ming-che (魯明哲), a member of the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee, yesterday said that the congestion on Freeway No. 5 happened because the number of cars had obviously exceeded the road’s capacity, after people finally had an opportunity to visit family or travel without having to worry too much about the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ministry could have predicted the number of tourists driving to each place by analyzing hotel bookings and making corresponding responses to divert crowds, Lu said.
The data is available from the Tourism Bureau, which belongs to the ministry, Lu added.
New Power Party Legislator Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智), also a member of the committee, said that although the ministry’s transportation app marks congested sections of roads, users must locate the information within the app.
The ministry should implement more “proactive measures” to reduce congestion, such as traffic controls and provide people with possible solutions to traffic problems, as opposed to simply asking them to “avoid congested areas,” Chiu said.
Lin yesterday said that although it is easy to blame the government for a traffic jam, the problem can only be solved if drivers cooperate.
Traffic volume on Freeway No. 5 during extended holidays is usually twice what it can handle, so the ministry reminded the public to keep abreast of the latest traffic conditions and be “smart” freeway users to avoid congestion, Lin said, adding that he would change the way he speaks to avoid upsetting anyone.
Additional reporting by Cheng Wei-chi
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