A towering archway stands in the middle of a road, consuming a significant portion of the pathway without any warning signs in northern China.

The video was filmed in Yangquan City in Shanxi Province on March 20.

The peculiar presence of the archway, which has been in place for over a decade, predates the road itself, leading to a bizarre scenario in which the road was constructed around the existing structure due to unresolved relocation issues.

A local village official shed light on the matter, explaining that the decision to dismantle the archway is still under discussion, awaiting a consensus to be reached through a village representative meeting. Meanwhile, the Pingding County Transportation Bureau has indicated plans to negotiate the archway's removal.

This incident has cast a shadow over the Taihang No. 1 tourist road, a vital 1,028-kilometre stretch integral to Shanxi's rural road network and a cornerstone in promoting tourism across the Yellow River, the Great Wall, and the Taihang regions, as well as in advancing rural revitalisation efforts.

The road, which officially opened in July 2023, is now under scrutiny as authorities work towards a resolution to ensure the safety and convenience of its users.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

近日，山西阳泉，高女士乘车在太行一号旅游公路上行驶时，发现在平定县东回镇马山村路段，公路中间建有一座牌楼，牌楼占据路面约三分之一区域，而且没有警示牌，很容易撞上去出现安全隐患。
对此，马山村村委会一名村干部介绍，这座牌楼建成至今已有10余年，是先有牌楼，后建的公路，“修路时因为拆迁的问题没有达成一致，这事还一直在讨论中，牌楼也一直存在。”是否拆除、何时拆除需召开村民代表大会征求意见。平定县交通局表示，会进一步协商拆除牌楼。
资料显示，太行一号旅游公路，全长1028公里，是山西省农村道路的重要组成部分，同时也是打造黄河、长城、太行三大旅游板块，推进乡村振兴的战略性基础性工程。2023年7月，太行一号旅游公路已贯通运行。