Taichung builds a smart city with smarter traffic signals! Transportation Bureau of Taichung City Government has introduced intelligent dynamic signal systems at 68 major road intersections on Zhongqing Road, Taiwan Boulevard, etc. to improve traffic congestion during peak hours. Taking Wuquan West Road as an example, when drivers pass by Wuquan West Road from the Art Museum to Nantun Interchange of National Freeway 1, they can save up to about 3 minutes of driving. This year, 45 new places are planned to be equipped including Daya Interchange. A total of 113 intelligent dynamic signal systems will be installed in the city. Waiting time at red lights will be adjusted according to real-time traffic conditions, allowing passers-by to reduce the number of encountering red lights 1 to 2 times.

 Director of Transportation Bureau, Ye Zhao-fu pointed out that most of the congested roads in Taichung City are major arterial roads connected to expressways, such as Zhongqing Road, Taiwan Boulevard, and Wuquan West Road near national highway interchanges. Regular traffic congestion problems occur during weekends and holidays. To improve the driving efficiency of Taichung City's main arterial roads, the bureau has successively built intelligent dynamic signaling systems on the road network around Daya, Taichung and Nantun Interchange of National Highway 1, Zhongqing Road, Wuquan West Road, and Taiwan Boulevard since 2017. The systems can calculate the traffic flow in each direction in real time and allocate appropriate green light seconds, reducing the waiting time for red lights and travel time, thereby increasing the overall road operation performance.

 Director Ye said that intelligent dynamic signal systems has effectively improved the efficiency of traffic flow on arterial roads. It has been measured that since the Wuquan West Road system was put online, passers-by can save 3 minutes traveling from the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts to Nantun Interchange of National Highway 1. The shortened driving time is estimated to save 100,000 liters of gasoline per year, which is equivalent to 1,164 times of driving around Taiwan. It is estimated that carbon emissions can be reduced by 260,000 kilograms per year, which is equivalent to stopping 80 minutes of operation of a coal-fired power station of Taichung Thermal Power Plant or the carbon absorption of 26 hectares of afforestation, helps to achieve energy saving and carbon reduction.

 Transportation Bureau pointed out that in recent years, Taichung City has introduced intelligent dynamic signal systems at 68 major road intersections such as Zhongqing Road, Taiwan Boulevard, Wuquan West Road, and Huanzhong Road to the traffic more smoothly. This year, the number of the intelligent dynamic signal systems is expected to increase at 45 intersections around Huanzhong East Road (Songzhu-Taiyuan ramp) and Daya Interchange. After all of them are completed, Taichung City is expected to have 113 intelligent dynamic signal systems in response to changes in time periods, intersection spacing, traffic flow, etc.. The green light time should be appropriately configured, and smart traffic control can be used to significantly increase traffic efficiency.

 In order to relieve road users who are most afraid of traffic jams and encountering many red lights, Director Ye emphasized that the intelligent dynamic signaling system vigorously promoted by Transportation Bureau is different from the traditional signal system that adopts a fixed time plan. It will be real-time based on the traffic flow conditions, adjusting the green light time of traffic signals and allocating more green light time to directions with larger traffic flow. After the system is installed, it will effectively reduce the driving time of main arterial roads and create a smooth road environment. Transportation Bureau will continue to monitor the traffic flow conditions of each main road and optimize the safety and smoothness of traffic network in Taichung City through smart transportation, traffic engineering, traffic law enforcement and other multi-pronged approaches.