Lunar New Year freeway tolls to be waived for early-bird drivers

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) Access to Taiwan's national freeways will be toll-free during off-peak hours from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. between Jan. 29 and Feb. 2 to help ease expected Lunar New Year holiday congestion.

The Freeway Bureau said that traffic is expected to be at its heaviest heading southbound from Jan. 29-31, and northbound from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 over the holiday, which runs from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2, including two weekends.

It is likely many people will travel during the weekend of Jan. 25-26, alleviating southbound congestion, according to the bureau.

Meanwhile, only vehicles with three or more occupants will be allowed on northbound lanes of National Freeway No. 1 from Tainan's Xiaying System Interchange to Toufen in Miaoli between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1.

The same rules will apply to northbound lanes of National Freeway No. 3 between Tainan's Guantian System Interchange and Zhunan in Miaoli.

In addition, only vehicles with three or more occupants will be allowed onto northbound lanes of National Freeway No. 5 from entrance ramps at Su'ao, Luodong, Yilan and Toucheng between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.