New Taipei Mayor Inspects Highway Improvement Projects, Hopes for Early Completion

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih inspected the progress of improvement projects at the Guoliu and Linkou interchanges on National Freeway No. 1 on the 29th. He announced that the northbound ramp at the Guoliu interchange is ahead of schedule and will be completed in October. This will reduce the time to access the freeway from 15 minutes to just 3 minutes.

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The northbound ramp at the Guoliu interchange will be completed earlier than expected.

The first phase of improvement work for the southbound exit and northbound entrance at the Linkou interchange is expected to open in March or April of next year. This will cut travel time for the southbound exit from 19 minutes to 5 minutes, and for the northbound entrance from 14 minutes to 2 minutes. Hou emphasized that these upgrades will enhance travel speed and safety.

Hou noted that interchanges on National Freeway No. 1 within New Taipei City often experience severe congestion when connecting to surface roads. The city government began collaborating with the central government on improvements in 2023. The northbound exit section of the Guoliu interchange's connecting road was completed last year, leading to smoother traffic flow and a nearly 20% reduction in traffic accidents.

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After completion in October, accessing National Freeway No. 1 will be reduced from 15 minutes to 3 minutes.

The mayor also stated that New Taipei City will adjust and plan surrounding surface roads, including traffic flow, signs, and markings, to align with the completion of the northbound exit and entrance roads in October. He added that the city will propose a plan by the end of the year to connect National Freeway No. 1 to the No. 64 Expressway at the Bali exit, completing the Guoliu interchange project. The city hopes for prompt implementation by the Ministry of Transportation.

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The first phase of improvement work for the southbound exit and northbound entrance at the Linkou interchange is expected to open in March or April of next year.

For the Linkou interchange, Hou mentioned that the first phase of improvements for the southbound exit and northbound entrance is progressing smoothly. To manage traffic around the interchange on Wenhua 1st Road, New Taipei City will adjust public transportation dedicated lanes. This aims to prevent traffic from becoming gridlocked at the interchange. The first phase of the Linkou interchange improvement project is anticipated to be completed and operational by March next year.

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The southbound exit will be reduced from 19 minutes to 5 minutes, and the northbound entrance from 14 minutes to 2 minutes.