The removal of the Gongguan roundabout to make way for a controlled intersection might be finished within one month, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) said yesterday.
The project, originally scheduled to take 65 days, is likely to be shortened significantly thanks to the cooperation of eight ready-mix concrete plants, Lee said during an onsite inspection.
According to the Taipei City Government, the first stage involves filling in the underground bus lane that runs beneath the roundabout at the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Keelung Road. That part of the project is estimated to take 44 days, with the work being carried out from 8am to 6pm and from 11pm to 6am daily.
After that stage, the demolition of the roundabout would be completed in 21 days, on a daily work schedule of 11pm to 6am.
Since the project began at 11:35pm on Friday, buses that previously used the underpass are now running on the surface lanes instead, he said.
As traffic congestion is expected in the area for the duration of the project, commuters are advised to take the MRT, Lee said.
In March, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) announced that the city government would remove the Gongguan roundabout, saying that it had been the leading site in Taipei for traffic incidents each year since 2018.
The project began yesterday amid protests by civic groups, and students from National Taiwan University, National Taiwan Normal University and National Chengchi University, many of whom commute by bus in the area. The protesters dispersed at about 12:30pm.
Lee said the city government expects criticism of the project, but is committed to ensuring public safety.