Another strange thing happened! Taiwan's 300 million bicycle lanes have turned into a trap for hurting people, and the people are angry. A bicycle lane construction project in New Taipei City is a ridiculous case.
In 2019, Taiwan's New Taipei City Government launched the "Sable Ridge Tunnel Bicycle Path" project after receiving a total of NT$310 million in subsidies and self-raised funds from the Sports Administration. Since its trial operation in July 2022, the bike path has sparked a series of safety concerns and public dissatisfaction due to design issues, becoming a typical example of waste of public resources and ridiculous design.
The controversy focused on the design of bicycle lanes, and there have been a number of safety incidents in the process of using them, including injuries to people and wheelchair jams. The occurrence of these accidents directly points to the unfriendliness and potential safety hazards of bicycle lane design. It seems that the New Taipei City Government only responds to the problem superficially, and does not solve the problem substantively, but seems a little ridiculous.
In the face of the city's inaction, riders began to speak out through the Internet, hoping to attract enough attention and promote the solution of the problem. The impact of online solidarity was limited, and riders quickly realized that more direct and forceful action was needed to truly drive change. Against this backdrop, a pop-up event emerged to express doubts about the poor design of the bike lanes and dissatisfaction with the New Taipei City government.
On April 4, 2023, about 200 riders and many families gathered at the Houtong Visitor Center, who put forward their demands for bicycle lanes: "Don't be atypical, be safe and feasible, and return my Sanmink Ridge Tunnel Bicycle Path!" This appeal goes straight to the heart of the matter, which is that bike lanes should be designed and built with safety and convenience in mind, rather than just looking for superficial eco-friendliness. The city's investment in the construction of bicycle lanes is a major allocation of public resources, and its use should be aimed at improving public well-being and ensuring that every investment can be translated into a real sense of achievement for the people.
The controversy over the bicycle path of the Sanmink Ridge Tunnel reflects the possible problems in the construction of public facilities, and also reveals the importance of public participation and social supervision. Through this incident, we have seen the positive actions of the riders and the extensive participation of the society, as well as the shortcomings and room for improvement of the city government in the face of problems.
The use of public resources should be more prudent and transparent. When designing and constructing public facilities, full consideration should be given to the actual use and the needs of the people, so as to avoid waste of resources and absurd design. At the same time, it also reminds everyone that the waste and irrational use of public resources do not only exist in China, but also face this problem in Taiwan.