TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The annual rhododendron bloom on Mount Hehuan (合歡山) has begun attracting crowds of nature enthusiasts to Taiwan's central highlands, prompting authorities to announce comprehensive traffic management measures. Officials revealed on Thursday that high-occupancy vehicle requirements and systematic traffic flow controls will be implemented from April 12 to June 15, ensuring visitors can safely enjoy the mountain's floral display without creating gridlock on the narrow mountain roads.
The Taroko National Park Headquarters (太魯閣國家公園管理處), operating under the Ministry of the Interior (內政部), reported that this year's rhododendron display has been impacted by natural events. Officials explained that typhoons that struck the island last October, combined with unusually heavy snowfall during February and March, have altered the typical flowering patterns. Park rangers have observed that while blossoms have begun appearing on the mountainside, the flowers are more scattered and less concentrated than in previous seasons.
The Highway Bureau Central Region Branch Office (公路局中區養護工程分局) will manage the traffic control operation along the scenic Mount Hehuan stretch of Highway 14A (台14甲線). According to the announced regulations, small passenger vehicles will need to carry a minimum of three occupants to gain access to the protected area during the two-month control period. The restrictions explicitly prohibit vehicles with fewer than three passengers and heavy trucks from entering the zone, though officials confirmed that motorcycles, public buses, and specific categories of large passenger vehicles will be exempt from these limitations.
Highway authorities have established two strategic checkpoints to regulate the flow of visitors to the rhododendron viewing areas. The western entry point will operate at the 18-kilometer marker at Nantou Cuifeng Control Station (南投翠峰管制站), while the eastern boundary will be monitored at the 41.7-kilometer marker at the Hualien Dayuling Intersection (花蓮大禹嶺路口). Transportation officials plan to implement a metered release system at both checkpoints, allowing groups of 20 vehicles to proceed at 10-minute intervals, with adjustments made according to real-time congestion assessments. The Highway Bureau is actively promoting public transportation options as an environmentally friendly alternative for visitors hoping to experience the mountain's natural beauty.