Pingtung township residents warn new sidewalks raise traffic risks

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Residents in Pingtung County’s Neipu Township are pushing back against new sidewalks that they say create risks for road users due to raised divider islands and narrower lanes.

Reporters reported that several township roads have been rebuilt with wider sidewalks and raised divider islands placed outside lane markings. Motorists and scooter riders said the changes make intersections harder to pass through and increase the risk of crashes.

One disputed junction is at Nanhua Road and Wenhua Road near Neipu Junior High School. Residents said the sidewalk was widened to about 6.6 meters, while each traffic lane was reduced to around 3.2 meters, leaving too little space for heavy traffic and large vehicles.

Residents said crashes were already common at the intersection and increased after the raised dividers were added. They said scooters have hit the islands, while large military vehicles now struggle to turn and often need several back-and-forth maneuvers to get through.

Elsewhere in the township, residents said Liudui Hakka Cultural Park‘s two-lane road was cut down to one after sidewalk work, causing drivers to drift into oncoming lanes by mistake.

County Councilor Li Shih-gan (李世淦) said pedestrian-only spaces are well-intended, but road designs should match local travel habits, where most people rely on cars and scooters. Police said they plan to add clearer lane markings and traffic signals to ease traffic flow and reduce safety risks.