Heavy traffic expected during upcoming Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday

Taipei, March 31 (CNA) Heavy traffic is expected on various sections of Taiwan's provincial highways during the four-day Tomb-Sweeping Festival holiday that starts on Thursday and ends on Sunday, according to the Highway Bureau.

Motorists are advised to stay informed of traffic conditions beforehand, avoid peak hours and congested roads, the bureau said in a news release on Monday.

Congestion is expected on Provincial Highway No. 9 between Su'ao and Hualien in eastern Taiwan during different time periods, most notably on southbound lanes from 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday, it said.

Traffic on the highway's northbound lanes is forecast to pick up from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, the bureau added.

Motorists traveling between Taitung and Pingtung can also expect to see congestion on the No. 9 highway's northbound and southbound lanes during various hours from Thursday to Saturday.

In Pingtung County, the bureau anticipates heavy traffic on a section of Provincial Highway No. 1 between Shuidiliao in Fangliao Township and Fenggan in Fangshan Township during the first three days of the Tomb-Sweeping Festival holiday.

Meanwhile, congestion is forecast to occur at different hours along various sections of Provincial Highway No. 61, also known as the West Coast Expressway, which runs from New Taipei to Tainan.

Citing an example, the bureau said heavy traffic is expected on sections near Miaoli County and Taichung due to reconstruction work being carried out on two road bridges.

In the news release, the bureau also listed other roads that could see potential traffic during the holiday, including Provincial Highways No. 64 and No. 65, both in New Taipei.

Furthermore, motorists are advised to be aware of congestion on roads leading to various scenic destinations, such as the section between Fulong and Wanli in New Taipei on Provincial Highway No. 2, it added.