Traffic controls for Yangmingshan flower festival to begin Saturday

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) Weekend traffic controls will be put in place around Yangmingshan National Park starting this Saturday, to cope with the crowds expected to visit the area during the annual hydrangeas flower festival in Zhuzihu, which runs from May 18 to June 9.

Traffic controls will be enforced May 18, 19, 25, 26 and June 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 to maintain order on the roads around the Yangmingshan area, the Traffic Division of the Taipei City Police Department said in a statement Thursday.

Uphill checkpoints will be set up at the intersection of Yangde Boulevard, the main road to Yangmingshan, and Zhicheng Road, as well as at the intersection of Yangde Boulevard and Zhishan Road Section 2, Lane 1 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

When controls are in place, only private vehicles with a permit will be allowed to travel up the mountain, the division said.

For private vehicles traveling down the mountain, checkpoints will be set up at the intersection of Yangming Road and Zhongheng Street, as well as at the intersection of Gezhi and Kaixuan roads, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, traffic controls will be implemented near the flower festival venue in Zhuzihu from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. These include restricting westbound traffic to one-way, clockwise from Hutian Bridge through Callalily Boulevard to the forked road which leads to Zhongzheng Mountain, according to the division.

In addition, due to limited parking available at the venue, visitors are strongly recommended to use public transport and avoid driving.