Traffic controls to be in place around Taipei 101 on New Year's Eve

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) Taipei police will take measures to control traffic flows in Xinyi District, home to the landmark Taipei 101 skyscraper, on Tuesday evening as tens of thousands of New Year's Eve revelers are expected to crowd into the area to see off 2024.

The Taipei City Police Department's Traffic Division said in a statement that a three-phase traffic control plan will be implemented in Xinyi District between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 3 a.m. Wednesday, and it urged motorists to take note of the restrictions.

Taipei will hold the 2025 Taipei New Year's Party in the plaza in front of City Hall from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., while pop diva A-Mei will hold her popular New Year's Eve concert just under a kilometer away at the Taipei Dome.

As a result, "a bigger crowd is expected in Xinyi District than in past years," the statement said.

To maintain order around the events, the department will coordinate with organizers to implement the following traffic control measures in three phases, the Traffic Division said.

Phase 1 (7 p.m. to 8 p.m.)

The controlled area includes west of Songren Road, south of Zhongxiao East Road, north of Xinyi Road, and east of Keelung Road and Yixian Road.

Vehicles within the controlled area are allowed to exit but not enter.

Phase 2 (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.)

In addition to the Phase 1 area, the controlled zone expands to the west to Guangfu South Road.

Vehicles are prohibited from entering or exiting the controlled area. The Keelung Road underground passage will also be closed.

Phase 3 (10 p.m. to 3 a.m.)

The controlled area includes east of Guangfu South Road, south of Zhongxiao East Road, north of Xinyi Road and Zhuangjing Road, and west of Lane 236 of Zhongxiao East Road Section 5, Songde Road, and Songren Road.

No vehicles are allowed to enter or exit the controlled area, and adjustments to the controlled zones will be made flexibly based on crowd conditions.

The Traffic Division said that in response to the control measures, additional traffic controls will also be carried out on certain elevated roads starting at 10 p.m., including the Keelung elevated road, where the Le Ye Street off-ramp will be closed. Northbound vehicles have to exit via the Dunhua South Road off-ramp.

For Huan Dong/Ti Ding Boulevard, the Keelung Road off-ramp will be closed. Vehicles will be redirected westward via the Zhengqi Bridge to the Civic Boulevard elevated road.

In terms of the Xinyi Expressway, northbound exits will prohibit left turns toward Shifu Road. Vehicles can only turn right onto Songde Road.

As for the Civic Boulevard Elevated Road, vehicles traveling west to east and exiting at the Guangfu South Road off-ramp will be prohibited from making right turns onto Guangfu South Road at the surface level of Civic Boulevard.