Taipei: The Taipei City government has announced plans to replace the Gongguan roundabout, notorious for frequent traffic accidents, with a four-way intersection equipped with traffic signals. Mayor Chiang Wan-an shared this development on Tuesday, emphasizing the safety issues posed by the current design.
According to Focus Taiwan, Mayor Chiang highlighted the roundabout at the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Keelung Road as the city's leading spot for accidents every year since 2018. The existing design poses significant risks for both vehicles and pedestrians, prompting the need for a safer alternative.
Chiang noted that the Taipei Department of Transportation initially intended to redesign the intersection while retaining an underground lane for buses. However, the complexity of the air wells, water pumping systems, and water supply lines within the roundabout led to a change in plans. The department now intends to eliminate the underground bus lane and instead establish a dedicated bus-only lane at ground level.
The construction process is expected to be challenging due to the high traffic volume on both Roosevelt and Keelung roads, particularly during peak hours. To minimize disruptions, Chiang has instructed the transportation and public works departments to carefully plan the construction timeline.
Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan added that the current roundabout's complexity stems from its design, which includes vehicles entering from seven different directions and an overpass. The city government plans to approve draft plans for the construction project on Monday and will start budgeting the necessary funds.