Gwangju City Overhauls City Bus Routes... Gathering Citizens' Opinions

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City is promoting a complete overhaul of city bus routes in preparation for the opening of Urban Railway Line 2 and has decided to actively collect citizens' opinions.

Gwangju City announced on the 8th that from the 9th to September 30th, it will open "Asking Citizens About City Bus Route Reorganization" on the online communication platform "BaroSotong Gwangju" to gather citizens' opinions on the complete reorganization of city bus routes.

To leave opinions related to the city bus route reorganization, citizens can enter BaroSotong Gwangju through the city website or the notification window (banner) of the Gwangju Bus Operation Information System, or search for BaroSotong Gwangju on portal sites such as Naver or Daum.

Citizens are free to suggest any inconveniences they usually feel while using city buses or any improvements needed through the route reorganization, and Gwangju City plans to review these diverse opinions from citizens in various ways to actively reflect them in the route reorganization plan.

Gwangju City currently estimates that the population within the urban railway influence zone, which is about one-sixth of the total population, will expand to more than two-thirds once Urban Railway Line 2 opens. To implement the complete overhaul of city bus routes in line with the opening of Line 2, the city has been promoting a city bus route reorganization project from January of this year until January 2024.

The main contents of the city bus route reorganization include ▲adjustment of overlapping routes with Urban Railway Line 2 ▲establishment of express bus routes that quickly connect living areas outside the urban railway ▲construction of a transfer system between urban railway, city bus, village bus, and bicycles, and maintenance of transfer stops ▲and plans to create a carbon-neutral city through a rational public transportation system.

Gwangju City is analyzing location information such as transportation card and telecom company data, as well as traffic information data like navigation, and plans to establish a scientific and systematic route reorganization plan based on big data analysis and citizens' opinions.

By the end of this year, the city will prepare a draft for the city bus route reorganization and, through meetings in 95 neighborhoods, gather citizens' opinions to supplement the plan. Afterward, it will prepare a plan that minimizes citizen inconvenience and promote it step-by-step in line with the opening of Urban Railway Line 2.

Park Nam-eon, Director of the Transportation and Construction Bureau of the city, said, "This city bus route reorganization linked with the urban railway is a process to create public transportation by the citizens and for the citizens," and added, "The more opinions citizens provide, the more convenient the service will be, so we ask for active participation and interest."