The second "Pedestrian-Friendly Zone Street Design Workshop" organized by the Transportation Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government was held on June 14 in Fuguo and Jhongjiao Li of Cianjhen District. This session focused on the residential areas surrounding Guilin Street, which runs parallel to Guanghua 2nd Road and is located near the Cianjhen Night Market. Due to frequent cut-through traffic and excessive speeding by non-local vehicles, traffic accidents have been common, making this a major safety concern for local residents.
To engage the community in co-developing ideas for local street design improvements, the workshop opened with a lively comic dialogue performance, followed by an on-site walking tour through neighborhood alleyways. The event concluded with a hands-on "street drawing" activity at the venue, enabling participants to envision safer street designs through both direct observation and creative engagement.
In addition to facilitating dialogue between residents and planners, the workshop was attended by Councilor Tseng Li-yen, Councilor Cheng Guang-feng, staff representatives from Councilors Chen Li-na, Huang Yen-yu, and Tsai Wu-hung, as well as Legislator Lai Jui-lung’s service office. Fuguo Li Chief Lü Chien-lin also mobilized and led enthusiastic local participation, highlighting strong grassroots support for improving traffic safety in the community.
During the discussion, many heartfelt concerns were raised. Chief Lü of Fuguo Li shared a crash map posted on his office wall, stating, "Every red dot represents pain in our neighborhood." Residents noted that the straight and wide layout of Guilin Street, combined with the lack of speed-reducing designs such as curves or calming features, increases the likelihood of collisions. In addition, numerous connecting alleys lack adequate safety warnings or setback areas, making it unsafe for pedestrians to cross the streets.
Participants also proposed various improvements, such as addressing illegal roadside parking and the random placement of potted plants and other objects, while calling for a well-organized walking environment and parking order. As one attendee emphasized, "Feeling safe while walking in our neighborhood is the kind of life we want." With support from information shared by the Transportation Bureau, participants gained a clearer understanding of the relationship between vehicle speed and injury severity, as well as the importance of maintaining appropriate and safe driving speeds in residential areas.
The Transportation Bureau stated that this workshop in Cianjhen District serves as a concrete implementation of Article 7 of the Pedestrian Traffic Safety Facility Act. The Bureau will continue to organize similar sessions, adopting a three-phase model of “information-sharing + walking tour + collaborative mapping” to tailor safe street designs in partnership with local communities. The ultimate goal is to "slow down traffic and allow people to walk with peace of mind."
