The China Post
Date: April 4, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Traffic jams on the nation’s freeways piled up earlier than the

Vehicles drive on National Freeway 1 on Monday, April 3. Traffic surged on northbound lanes from Donghu to Xizhi over the Tomb Sweeping Festival long weekend. (CNA)

National Freeway Bureau (NFB,國道高速公路局) had predicted Monday, starting as early as 12 p.m.

According to the NFB, congestion on National Freeway No. 5 was predicted for between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., with an estimated 98 minutes of commute time increase. However, jams on the freeway connecting Yilan and New Taipei began hours earlier than expected, with speeds down to an average of 33 kilometers per hour just past midday. At one point, motorists were trapped in a 8-kilometer long traffic jam on the freeway.

Officials at the Pinglin Traffic Control Center said the slowdown National Freeway No. 5 was expected to last until 1 a.m. Tuesday.    [FULL  STORY]