Special road restrictions conceal danger

Scooters are an important mode of transport for the residents of Chiayi City. In order to adapt to this phenomenon, the city government specially set out 17 restrictive roads that are unique in Taiwan. A “restrictive road” simply means that cars can only be one-way traffic, and motorcycles and bicycles can be two-way traffic. However, such restrictive roads perhaps enhance the chances of traffic accidents. A few months ago, a city councilor requested that restrictive roads be changed back to one-way roads. The mayor of Chiayi feels that as city residents have been using one-way roads for such a long time, forcing changes will be difficult to implement. As to whether the roads should be changed or not, people also have mixed opinions.

In the face of Chiayi residents’ long-accustomed habits, law enforcement agencies believe that accident rates on restrictive roads are no different from normal roads, and so in recent years have not taken any specific actions against restrictive roads. Though many local people believe that appropriate adjustments should be made according to each route, the government recently indicated it does not intend to change restrictive roads back to one-way roads in the near future.

Special road restrictions conceal danger

URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/295483

(以下為中文對照)

獨特限制性道路 危機潛藏之間

照片

嘉義市民多仰賴機車作為代步工具，早期政府順應此現象特別訂出了17條全台特有的限制性道路。限制性道路，簡單的來說就是汽車只能單向通行，而機車及腳踏車則可雙向行駛，然而限制性道路卻也可能提升交通事故發生的機率。幾個月前，有議員要求將限制性道路改回單行道，市長認為這是嘉義市民長久下來的習慣，恐難強制改變。而對於改或不改，民眾也持有不同的意見。

面對嘉義市民長久下來的習慣，執法機關認為限制性道路的事故率同一般道路，所以近年來未針對限制性道路做出特別的動作。有民眾認為可以依每條路做適度的調整，而政府表明近期不會改為單行道。