Drove Taipei to Hualien via all the latest new tunnel sections.
The speed limit going south from Suao to Taroko is 60km an hour or less. 70km
Taroko to Hualien city. So slow driving.
Most of the new expressway sections will easily handle 100 or 110km an hour.
My biggest complaint are the bottlenecks in areas OUTSIDE of the new tunnels. As a result of this, it took us 5.5 hours coming back from Hualien during tombsweeping. On the way there, it took us 2.5 hours because we left a day before the long weekend started. So the lesson we learned is never, ever again on a holiday weekend.
I learned that lesson years ago. Even on a regular weekend you can get stuck for hours at the xueshan tunnel. Holiday weekends are tricky because sometimes people rush back on the sat night to beat the Sunday night traffic, it’s quite unpredictable.
Yes there are bottlenecks between the new tunnels where it goes back to regular two-lane road and small towns.
I didn’t experience any traffic bottlenecks during regular non-holiday weekday.
Between Suao and Hualien on Taiwan #9, 台九線.
Inside the tunnels.
Also drove some of the old road bypassed by the tunnels. Still seems quite dangerous to be on a bicycle or a motorcycle with all the huge trucks racing back and forth. Little or no shoulder most places. Tight lanes.
I rode them before on a motorcycle and it was one of the scariest rides of my life. I felt like the huge trucks were trying to assassinate me.
Bicycle tunnel thing is really frustrating. If you look at the signs at a tunnel it would appear you could assess it possibly directing to the other side of the roadway.
Even has an arrow that points you in the direction going into the tunnel.
This picture from middle of December.
Edit: Sign location 匯德隧道
The signs definitely seem to be directing cyclists to go through the tunnel. And the written sign seems to be warning vehicle drivers to be careful going through the tunnel since there are bicycles. Hmmmm.
Baka!
Not you of course; the misleading signage.
Guy
I think that’s an older photo. It looks like this now
Looks like no bikes allowed. But anyway, this is in Hualian and the article says they were in Yilan.
How does one get around that when on a bike?
The sign just warns about cyclists possible, so watch out. It’s a warning sign. But than inside the tunnel (stupid government) they put a sign bicycles not allowed, which is moronic. As outside the tunnel they have a sign from the tourist department saying this is bicycle trail #1.
I guess you don’t!
Wait for a bus an hour or two?
Little detour through Lishan. Mostly flat. No problem.
As far as I know, the signalling in the old tunnels only forbid bicycles to ride in the shoulder/sidewalk of the tunnel because it is too narrow. It will be really dangerous to fall from it. Another example of bad signalling towards bicycles.
From what I’ve gathered.
Can walk-on walk-off bike at this train station on the north side. Can also ride bike from here to Qingshui cliffs, but cannot ride past the Cliffs so must return to the train station if you want to go south or coming from south.
Heping Station
https://goo.gl/maps/d5UNGkBtpPNY91Zx6
But who really knows with all the confusing tunnel markings for bicycles.
This is great news for the local police ambulance and fire rescue crews and additionally for people who like attending funeral of family and friends.
Pole dancers are looking forward for business.
It’s an upgrade from selling binlang.
