Gongguan roundabout removal to begin Sept. 13 despite protests

Taipei, Sept. 9 (CNA) The Taipei City government said Tuesday it will begin removing the Gongguan roundabout and filling in the bus underpass on Sept. 13 as scheduled, despite protests by civic groups and city councilors.

The project is expected to be completed in late November, replacing the roundabout at Roosevelt Road and Keelung Road and its three lanes with a standard four-way junction controlled by traffic lights, according to the city's Department of Transportation (DOT).

However, civic groups and road safety activists, who plan to stage protests on Sept. 12, have argued that the roundabout should remain and instead be upgraded with clearer markings and signage.

● Taipei to replace Gongguan roundabout with controlled intersection

Taipei City Councilor Miao Po-ya (苗博雅) has also questioned the city's evaluation methods, warning that closing the underpass would worsen traffic congestion in the area.

DOT Commissioner Hsieh Ming-hong (謝銘鴻) said, however, that safety is a priority.

The redesign is based on more than two decades of studies and has been endorsed by academics and road safety experts as the best solution, Hsieh said.

The roundabout, built in 1967, has been the top site for traffic accidents in the city for the past seven consecutive years, according to Hsieh.

He said that filling in the underpass is necessary to resolve structural load issues, and while traffic will be congested for about two months, alternative routes and real-time traffic monitoring will be established.

The plan will start with sealing and filling in the underpass over a 44-day period, followed by the demolition of the roundabout in 21 days, he said.

According to the DOT, the redesign will shorten the pedestrian crossings by 23 percent, expand walking space, and give buses more space at the intersection.

While some people have expressed concern that merging the bus lanes with regular traffic could worsen congestion, simulations indicate that about 60 percent of buses will be able to navigate the intersection when they have the green light, the DOT said.