KAOHSIUNG — The city is removing the area’s distinctive colored pavement, a red-and-blue surface introduced to guide drivers through a redesigned one-way loop.
The city’s Public Works Bureau said Zhanxi Road (站西路) will be fully closed from 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, to 6 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. Zhandong Road (站東路) will be closed from9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, to 6 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2. The bureau said the work may be postponed by one day if the weather is poor.
“Colored lane markings have completed their mission,” the bureau said in its announcement.
During the closures, the city urged drivers to detour using major north-south routes, including Jhonghua Road (中華路), Minzu Road (民族路), Fusing Road (復興路), Ziyou Road (自由路), and Zili Road (自立路). For east-west travel, officials recommended Shichuan 1st Road (十全一路), Bade 1st Road (八德一路), and Cisian Road (七賢路).
City bus routes will be rerouted, and some stops will be temporarily skipped during the work period, with riders directed to check updates through the iBus+ system and operators’ notices. The Transportation Bureau also said Ho-Hsin Bus (和欣客運) will temporarily move its Kaohsiung boarding point on Feb. 1 to the intersection of Linsen Road (林森路) and Jianguo Road (建國路).
Why the city says it is removing the color
Officials said the colored surface was installed after the station area adopted a “loop” of one-way traffic to reduce confusion following major reconstruction. The Transportation Bureau previously described the setup as a paired one-way system, with Zhandong Road running northbound and Zhanxi Road running southbound.
Now, the Public Works Bureau says the colors are no longer necessary and have become difficult to maintain. The bureau cited long-term wear from heavy traffic, including sideways abrasion, and said it will revert to standard pavement while relying on signal timing and guide signage to maintain order.
The station loop is one of Kaohsiung’s busiest chokepoints, feeding rail, metro, buses, and street traffic into a tight grid of arterials. Overnight closures can ripple into late-shift commutes, airport-style pickups, and intercity bus connections. The decision also highlights a broader tradeoff cities face: highly visible road treatments can improve wayfinding during transitions, but they may be expensive and short-lived on high-volume roads. Kaohsiung is betting that clearer signals and signs can replace color without adding risk.
Sources & References
Kaohsiung City Government, Public Works Bureau (Road Maintenance Engineering Office) announcement on closures and removal of colored markings – kcg.gov.tw;
Kaohsiung City Transportation Bureau public reminders on detours, pickup areas, bus adjustments and Ho-Hsin Bus temporary stop – tbkc.gov.tw;
Background on the station-area one-way loop rollout (Oct. 29, 2022) – CTS;
Debate on alternatives and maintenance concerns (Jan. 14, 2026) – China Times.
