TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In response to the cold weather alert issued by the Central Weather Bureau, the Directorate General of Highways (DGH) on Wednesday (Dec. 30) announced closures on parts of Provincial Highway 7 (North Cross-Island Highway), Provincial Highway 8 (Central Cross-Island Highway), and Provincial Highway 14A.
Noting that the mid to high-elevation sections of certain mountainous highways could be covered by snow or ice Wednesday night, the DGH announced the closure of the 99k-151.8k section of Provincial Highway 8 and the 8k-41.5k section of Provincial Highway 14A from Wednesday at 5 p.m. to Thursday at 7 a.m.
During this period, vehicles are banned from entering the mountainous areas but are allowed to leave. The DGH said it will look at conditions on Thursday morning to determine whether the closures will be lifted or whether to require vehicles to place chains on their tires.
The 47k-66k section of Provincial Highway 7 will also be closed from 8 p.m. on Wednesday to 6 a.m. on Thursday.
In addition to the road closures, the highway authority announced that because the high-elevation 30k-74k section of Provincial Highway 7A may have icy road conditions from Wednesday, all vehicles entering the section will be required to have chains on their tires from 5 p.m. on Wednesday to 7 a.m. on Thursday, when the DGH will decide whether to continue the requirement.
On Thursday morning, the DGH lifted all the closures and snow chain requirements enforced from Wednesday night to Thursday morning after surveying the road and weather conditions.
