Freeway tolls cut 30% on weekends before Tomb-Sweeping holiday

Taipei, March 17 (CNA) Taiwan's Freeway Bureau will offer a 30 percent discount on long-distance highway tolls on the two weekends leading up to the April 3-6 Tomb-Sweeping holiday, hoping to ease traffic congestion over the holiday.

In a statement Tuesday, the bureau said the discounted toll rate on the weekends of March 21-22 and March 28-29 will be NT$0.63 (US$0.01) per kilometer, translating into savings of about NT$130 for a trip from Yuanshan in Taipei to Kaohsiung.

At the same time, however, tolls will increase for travel of under 42 kilometers per day during those weekends, according to the bureau.

The bureau advised motorists making shorter trips to consider using city or alternative roads to avoid higher fees and potential highway congestion.

Past experience shows that traffic volume increases by about 10 percent on weekends when the discount is implemented, the agency said.

On March 21 and 28, some southbound entrances on National Freeway No. 5 will be closed at different intervals, while high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) controls will be in place at northbound entrances on March 22 and 29.

Travelers can find more information on the bureau's website or the Highway 1968 app.

The agency also urged the public not to burn weeds or joss paper near highways during the Tomb-Sweeping holiday, as the smoke could impair visibility on the roads.