In recent years, both domestic and international media, along with civic groups, have extensively discussed Taiwan’s pedestrian environment and accessible spaces. Alarming headlines such as “Pedestrian Hell” have been used to describe dangerous traffic phenomena, bringing safety issues into the spotlight. These concerns have become critical issues that the central and local governments urgently need to address.
“With limited annual budget resources, the government must prioritize addressing pedestrian space issues. We decided to start with pedestrian spaces around schools because elementary and junior high school students, as they commute to and from school, are a group that requires higher priority for protection compared to adults,” explained Lo Chung-Sen, Team Leader of the Maintenance Engineering Team, Office of Road and Accessory Maintenance, Taoyuan City Government, as he discussed why the improvement project for school pathways was initiated.
To this end, the Taoyuan City Government has collaborated with schools, the Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Urban Development, the Police Department, and district offices to conduct field surveys and assess the needs of school pathways. Together, they aim to promote a friendly school commuting environment, setting short-, medium-, and long-term goals to gradually improve the areas surrounding schools each year.
“Future Urban Space Development Committee” Establishes a Cross-Department Coordination Platform
“Improving school commuting pathways requires cross-departmental coordination. Starting last year, the city government established the 'Future Urban Space Development Committee,' integrating the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works, district offices, and even incorporating the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Economic Development. Discussions begin at the urban planning stage, significantly improving efficiency with the participation of heads from all city departments,” explained Lo Chung-Sen, Team Leader of the Maintenance Engineering Team, Office of Road and Accessory Maintenance, Taoyuan City Government. “For example, should this road be widened? Should our new redevelopment areas be planned with sufficient sidewalks from the start?” Lo highlighted that one of the greatest supports for the pedestrian space improvement project is the establishment of this cross-departmental coordination platform.
The Taoyuan City Government established the “Future Urban Space Development Committee” in June 2023. Based on a shared vision of human-centered urban space planning, the committee promotes initiatives through three working groups: the Space Innovation Group, the Urban Aesthetics Group, and the Human-Centered Environment Group. The Department of Urban Development serves as the secretariat, facilitating cross-departmental coordination to gradually implement Taoyuan's urban development blueprint.
Improving the Environment with Seven Key Approaches to Protect Pedestrians
“For instance, if a road originally has a slow lane, we can evaluate its usage with the Department of Transportation and the Police Department. If motorcycle or other vehicle usage is low, we can reduce some lane space to expand the pedestrian pathway. When encountering obstacles like utility boxes or poles, we coordinate with utility companies such as Taiwan Power Company and Chunghwa Telecom to relocate them, integrating common roadside infrastructure,” explained Lo Chung-Sen, Team Leader of the Maintenance Engineering Team, as he shared examples of how pedestrian spaces are carved out from existing roads.
The Taoyuan City Government employs a multi-pronged approach to improve school pathways, which includes the following seven strategies: Creating dedicated pedestrian sidewalks to separate pedestrian and vehicle traffic; Installing new bus shelters alongside expanded drop-off bays and designated parent pickup/drop-off zones; Adding barrier-free curb ramps and tactile paving, while relocating or removing obstacles that impede pedestrian movement to widen usable pathways; Enhancing intersections with pedestrian refuges, setback crosswalks, and optimized signal timing; Expanding waiting areas at intersections to improve safety and convenience; Implementing time-restricted vehicle access in school lanes during peak commuting hours; Equipping intersections with dual-color temperature lighting to improve pedestrian safety during nighttime hours. These targeted measures collectively aim to create a safer and more user-friendly environment for pedestrians.
Insights from the Leaf-Shaped Traffic Island at Intersections
“Take the leaf-shaped traffic island installed at the intersection near Daye Elementary School in Taoyuan District as an example. Its purpose is to provide pedestrians a safe waiting area for crossing signals and to alert drivers while turning at the intersection, reducing accidents caused by blind spots or the inner turning radius of vehicles. Some drivers tend to 'slice the corner' or take turns at high speeds. With the leaf-shaped traffic island in place, vehicles must slow down to make the turn, which has already resulted in the curb of the island being hit several times. While this has drawn feedback from residents, it also clearly demonstrates the protective role this facility plays for pedestrians,” explained Lo Chung-Sen, Team Leader of the Maintenance Engineering Team.
The Taoyuan City Government has implemented various improvements at the intersection near Daye Elementary School in Taoyuan District, including setback crosswalks, leaf-shaped traffic islands, additional parking bays, new bus shelters, and dual-color temperature streetlights. These measures aim to minimize blind spots caused by vehicle A-pillars and enhance drivers' visibility when making turns.
Utilizing Technology to Establish a Mapping Platform System
“We are currently planning to develop a dedicated mapping platform for school commuting pathways. Through this system, we can monitor the citywide coverage of pedestrian sidewalks. From the beginning of last year to now, we have completed improvements to the commuting pathways around 47 schools, with the details of each improvement recorded in this platform. Additionally, we aim to conduct interviews to gather user feedback, analyze whether accident rates have decreased, and examine whether the proportion of students walking to school has increased following pathway improvements. These data points are critical for our analysis,” explained Lo Chung-Sen, Team Leader of the Maintenance Engineering Team. By analyzing scientific data, the city can evaluate the effectiveness of improvements and use the insights to guide future project planning.
Starting with Public Facilities to Gradually Expand the Pedestrian Network
“Taoyuan is currently engaged in extensive transit development, including the construction of MRT lines. For many residents, the 'last mile' from the MRT station to their homes is often traveled on foot. However, the sidewalks around MRT stations are often insufficient in width. To address this, we are collaborating with the city's Department of Rapid Transit Systems to review and improve sidewalks around MRT stations. Similarly, we aim to extend and connect pedestrian networks starting from other major public infrastructure, such as sports venues, public sports centers, and parks,” explained Lo Chung-Sen, Team Leader of the Maintenance Engineering Team, sharing the strategic objectives for enhancing pedestrian spaces.
The Taoyuan City Government envisions beginning with schools as the starting point and expanding to include MRT stations, railway stations, and key commercial districts in an integrated pedestrian network plan. Through cross-departmental coordination, the government combines elements such as sidewalks, building setback areas, leveled arcades, and traffic engineering solutions like school lanes to create a connected grid of pedestrian pathways. Highlight projects are used to secure advanced funding from the central government, with the goal of improving the pedestrian pathway coverage rate across Taoyuan City.
A Safe and Comfortable Pedestrian-Friendly City
“I live near the Taoyuan City Government building, and I've noticed that even the sidewalks in this area are not in great condition. This reflects poor consideration in past urban planning. As a Taoyuan resident myself, I hope that my daily walks to and from work can be both safe and comfortable. In the future, if I have children, I want to ensure that our walks to school are safe and pleasant as well. For citizens, sidewalks don't necessarily have to be large or beautiful, nor do they need to involve extravagant construction techniques. What matters most is having a safe space to walk,” expressed Lo Chung-Sen, Team Leader of the Maintenance Engineering Team. He hopes to gradually extend these improvements to neighborhood traffic systems, focusing on introducing sidewalks in small alleyways and older urban planning zones in city centers. The goal is to establish a human-centered, pedestrian-friendly city.