Gongguan roundabout removal completed Monday

Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) The removal of the Gongguan roundabout to make way for a controlled intersection was completed Monday morning at 6 a.m.

Huang Hui-ju (黃惠如), deputy head of the city's Traffic Engineering Office, told CNA Sunday night that the new intersection features designated left-turn lanes at every roadway, allowing most motorcyclists to directly turn left.

The exception is at the Fuhe Bridge exit, where motorcyclists will still be required to make a two-stage left turn. Left-turn waiting zones are also included where necessary, she added.

Bus station locations have also been adjusted, Huang said, reminding passengers to note the new boarding areas.

As Monday is a national holiday, heavier traffic flow is not expected until Tuesday, but drivers should note and comply with the new traffic signs, she said.

Remaining construction, including pedestrian refuge islands, is expected to be complete by the first half of October, the office said. The construction began Sept. 13.

In response to protests about the construction, city officials said the roundabout, which was built in 1967, had been the city's top site for traffic accidents for the past seven consecutive years.