Severe Traffic Jams on Provincial Highway 74; Councilors Demand Solutions from Transportation Bureau

City councilors have urged the Transportation Bureau to address the worsening traffic congestion on Provincial Highway 74, which has become a daily nightmare for residents. Councilors Chen Ya-hui and Ho Wen-hai highlighted at a city council meeting that backups at interchanges are spilling onto surface roads, adding 10-20 minutes to commute times.

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The backups at interchanges cause congestion on surface roads, turning into a daily commute nightmare for residents along the route.

Chen Ya-hui pointed out eight key congested sections, attributing the issues to exit ramp backups, highway interchange congestion, weaving traffic at entrances, and insufficient main line capacity. She specifically requested an assessment for a new exit ramp between the Taiping Zhongshan interchange and Defang South Road due to high traffic concentration.

Ho Wen-hai proposed traffic control at ramps, similar to highway management, and suggested adding a new ramp at Yongchun Road. He also advocated for the early development of a 60-meter road at the High-Speed Rail gateway. Transportation Bureau Director Ye Zhaofu stated that while ramp control is not currently implemented on expressways, the bureau is optimizing traffic flow with smart signals and intelligent transportation systems. He noted that some structural problems related to interchange design, ramp backups, and land availability require phased improvements, with some projects, including the expansion of smart dynamic signal corridors on Wuqin, Chongde, Beitun, and Shizheng roads, expected to continue until 2028.

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Why is Provincial Highway 74 congested? It's because there's no control. I believe we can implement control at the ramps, just like on the highway.

The bureau is also seeking feasibility studies for improvements on Qingpu Road, Taiwan Boulevard, and Wuqin West Road. Ye Zhaofu confirmed that smart signals have been installed at the interchanges of Provincial Highway 74. The councilors emphasized the need for concrete action and a clear timeline to resolve the persistent traffic issues.

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The expressway currently does not have any ramp controls, but we are planning to deploy smart signals on Qingpu Road, Taiwan Boulevard, and Wuqin West Road.