Protected bicycle lane markings on Zhishan Road in Taipei City's Shilin District have caused controversy, and lawmakers call for review

The Taipei City Transportation Bureau set up a protected bicycle lane on Zhishan Road in Shilin District. However, the new markings caused confusion among passers-by and led to many car accidents. Taipei City Council candidate Chen Yijie said that she supports the policy direction of protecting bicycles, but the chaotic markings and unsmooth moving line design make it more difficult for passers-by to identify the right of way, which violates the original intention of improving road safety design. She suggested that improvements should be reviewed.

The Transportation Bureau assessed that the traffic flow per hour on Section 1 of Zhishan Road was about 2,000 to nearly 3,000 vehicles. It believed that reducing the original four lanes to three lanes was still sufficient to handle the traffic. Therefore, the released road space was used to set up protected bicycle lanes.

However, Chen Yijie said that the city government cannot just calculate how many cars pass by in an hour, but also evaluate whether different passers-by on the actual road can clearly understand the signs and movement lines. Nowadays, when cars enter and exit parking spaces, bicycles pass, buses stop and pedestrians move around each other, and even continuous accidents occur within a short period of time, we should try to find a solution.

Chen Yijie believes that a truly protected bicycle lane should allow car drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers to identify their respective rights of way at a glance, instead of adding more markings, which will turn the road into a road trap or make passers-by confused.

Chen Yijie said that safety must be considered, and we cannot just reduce the lanes simply because "the traffic capacity is sufficient" and then change to protected bicycle lanes without making other assessments and supporting facilities.

"Policies can be implemented on a trial basis, but citizens' safety cannot be used as a test subject." Chen Yijie said that if the data proves that there are problems with the design, the transportation bureau should have the courage to make changes instead of asking passers-by to adapt on their own. She supports bicycles' safe right of way, but it does not mean that citizens should unconditionally accept immature road designs.

Chen Yijie emphasized that in promoting a bicycle city in Taipei, we cannot just pursue "drawing a few more kilometers of bicycle lanes." What is more important is that every kilometer of road must withstand the test of actual traffic conditions. "Real protected lanes are to make the road safer, not to add more markings."