MOTC Plans to Open Improved Suhua Highway to Scooters 交通部規劃 擬開放白牌機車通行蘇花改

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is currently assessing whether to allow white plate motorcycles on the Improved Suhua Highway. The Directorate General of Highways stated that it has proposed four plans and submitted them to the MOTC for review.

Trials started in September 2021 to allow large, heavy motorcycles onto Improved Suhua Highway. Officials assessed that there was no problem with safety after the trials. Therefore, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is assessing the possibility of allowing white plate motorcycles--50cc to 250cc, normal heavy scooters onto the Improved Suhua Highway. Four schemes have been proposed including maintaining mixed traffic flow in the fast lane, opening the highway shoulder for white plate motorcycles, designating the highway shoulder as a slow lane for all motorists, and canceling the highway shoulder.

Chiang Yu-feng, Deputy Head, Traffic Management Div., Directorate General of Highways: “The first and most important thing is not to compromise safety if we plan to allow white plate motorcycles onto Improved Suhua Highway. So all of our proposals basically regard safety as the highest consideration.”

Heavy rain and falling rocks on the old Suhua Highway may endanger white plate motorcyclists, so they are optimistic about the MOTC's new plan.

Chou Chih-yen, Chairperson, Taiwan Motorcycle Rights Promotion Association: “If the government limits only types of vehicles onto the Improved Suhua Highway, it would be completely contrary to the highway's original intention.”

Chang Sheng-hsiung, Prof, Dept. of Transportation Management, Tamkang Univ.: “I don't think it's a good idea to mix the lanes inside the tunnel. They can create an approximate 1.5-meter motorcycle lane on the highway shoulder. And designate cars in their own lane. Then, I don't think there would be a problem.”

Experts strongly suggest not to mix lanes. Otherwise, it will easily increase the occurrence of traffic accidents. The Directorate General of Highways emphasized that the four plans have been submitted to the MOTC for review. 

去年9月，大型重機開始試辦通行蘇花改，經過檢核後，評估安全沒問題，交通部因此評估白牌機車通行蘇花改的可能性，提出包括維持快車道混合車流行駛、開放路肩供白牌機車行駛、路肩規劃為機慢車道，以及取消路肩，規劃車道混合車流等4個方案。

交通部公路總局交通管理組副組長姜宇峰表示：「開放白牌機車，第一個最重要的，也就是不能妥協，這是一個安全的問題，所以我們所有的方案，基本上都是會用安全，做為最高的一個考量。」

由於舊的蘇花公路，可能會有大雨落石、危害白牌機車通行危險，機車族對於蘇花改，未來開放白牌機車通行，樂觀其成。

台灣機車路權促進會理事長周志彥說：「如果說只限定特定車種，通行這個，束縛了他原本蓋這條隧道的那個比例原則，和他的初衷完全是相背離。」

淡大運輸管理學系教授張勝雄指出：「隧道裡面讓它變成是一個混合車道，我覺得這個實在不好，路肩上面劃設一個大概，譬如說 1米5的，機車的車道，那汽車的車道也是一樣，是一個車道嘛，機車的車道，也一個車道，那這樣就沒有問題了。」

學者強烈建議，規劃上不要混合車道，不然容易增加交通事故的發生。對此，公路總局強調，4個方案，都已經提報交通部審查，核定後試辦，再檢核評估正式開放的可行性。