City says redesign will ease future TSMC traffic, preserve historic gates, and add pedestrian plaza.
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung’s Transportation Bureau says the Zuoying South Gate roundabout is not being torn down but converted into a four-way intersection as part of the New Provincial Highway 17 project.
The current layout is really a six-way junction, not a true roundabout. With TSMC moving into the Nanzih Industrial Park, peak-hour traffic there is expected to rise from 850 to 2,000 vehicles. To handle the increase, the city will build a signalized crossroads with three lanes in each direction.
The South Gate (南門) and Old City Walls (舊城) will remain intact. The old roundabout space will become a pedestrian plaza linking the South and East gates, with 52 new parking spots. Officials say the redesign will improve safety, traffic flow, and create a greener, more visitor-friendly historic site.
The Public Works Bureau added that Kaohsiung has proven its efficiency on major projects, pointing to the 2021 Zhongbo overpass removal, completed in just seven days.