Brian Hioeby Brian Hioe
語言:
English
Photo Credit: Sinsyuan/WikiCommons/CC BY-SA 4.0
THE DEMOLITION OF a roundabout in Gongguan has proven controversial, leading to protests from local residents. The demolition of the roundabout is the latest change to Taipei traffic that has led to protests against the Chiang mayoral administrations.
In particular, the Chiang administration takes the view that the roundabout is dangerous. Some views are that this roundabout, which is at the intersection of Keelung Road and Roosevelt Road, is among the most dangerous pedestrian areas in Taipei. Statistics show that for the last seven years, the area has been a prime location for vehicle accidents.
Nevertheless, some local residents take the view that the roundabout can be adjusted to be more pedestrian-friendly and does not need to be demolished. Such local residents have sometimes suggested that the roundabout is not as dangerous as the Chiang mayoral administration thinks.
Other criticisms are that the demolition of the roundabout will make buses share the same space as motorcycles and cars, as well as that it will add to congestion, especially during rush hour. More than 300 bus services will see 2.5 to 3 minutes added to commute times in rush hour. Although there are already reports of traffic congestion after the start of the roundabout demolition, the Chiang mayoral administration claims that this will eventually be relieved.
Either way, another matter at hand is the lack of consultation with local residents and civic groups by the Chiang mayoral administration. Vision Zero Taiwan, the leading group calling for pedestrian safety in Taiwan, has stated that its input to the Chiang mayoral administration was shrugged off.
One is reminded of the previous controversy regarding the demolition of an elevated pedestrian walkway near Daan Park. The Chiang mayoral administration’s stance is that elevated pedestrian walkways are hazardous for vehicle safety and are relics of a previous era in which vehicles were prioritized over pedestrians. As such, the Chiang mayoral administration intends to carry out a number of sky bridge demolitions in locations across Taipei, often outside of schools. The demolition of an elevated pedestrian walkway at the intersection of Keelung Road and Guangfu South Road was often cited by the city government as having improved vehicle safety to justify the demolition of the walkway.
Similarly, however, the demolition of the Daan Park walkway led to criticisms of inadequate consultation with local residents. Some local residents called for other improvements to be considered apart from demolition.
To this extent, the Daan Park elevated walkway was seen by many residents as culturally significant, particularly as it has featured in a number of Taiwanese movies and television shows. Anger against the demolition was such that city residents began decorating the walkway with public art as a means of protest, and there were clashes between demonstrators and the police.
Pedestrian safety has become increasingly discussed in Taiwan in past years. Concerns about pedestrian safety have been driven by highly-publicized fatal accidents, often involving elderly drivers, and with children among the victims. Likewise, the public is increasingly conscious of how the international world has come to view Taiwan as a “pedestrian hell”.
Similarly, it has been common to see protests about eviction cases in the past decade. Such cases were more often about the eviction of local residents due to infrastructure development projects rather than changes to urban infrastructure such as roundabouts and elevated pedestrian walkways.
Such cases continue to occur, as observed in efforts by the city government to demolish a home near the Lugong Canal. The home, which belongs to the Lai family, was sold along with those of local residents by the Irrigation Bureau without their being informed. The structure faces the issue that land use for the region has changed between Japanese colonial times and the KMT government, including the land being shifted from low-intensity residency to high-intensity residency. The Lai family was informed of the demolition abruptly, with some members of the family being illiterate.
Though attracting local support and leading to a lawsuit against the government, the struggle to preserve the land has not attracted national attention in the same way. Attempts are made to preserve the structure on the basis of its history and cultural value, which has led to a temporary stay for the planned demolition. The Control Yuan has called attention to the case, as has DPP legislator Chen Pei-yu, but the fate of the structure is still up in the air. The stay in demolition lasts until December.
The roundabout demolition may dovetail the two threads of pedestrian safety and protests against demolitions, then. More broadly, it is to be seen how the Chiang administration comes to be viewed by civil society groups active on such issues. Indeed, it may be telling that a major driver of protest in both cases was the view that the Chiang administration had failed to consult with local residents about their preferred views on what to do with the roundabout. And it is noteworthy that such prominent examples of public infrastructure demolition attract more attention than residential demolitions.