Gwangju City Expands Operating Area of Tarangkke

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Gwangju Metropolitan City is actively promoting the expansion of usage areas to revitalize the shared bicycle service ‘Tarangkke’.

On the 28th, Gwangju held a Bicycle Usage Activation Committee meeting chaired by Deputy Mayor Moon Young-hoon in the city hall small conference room, where they reviewed and approved the ‘Expansion Plan for the Unmanned Shared Bicycle Tarangkke Operating Area’ and the ‘Installation Plan for Bicycle-Only Lanes’.

The committee conditionally approved the ‘Tarangkke Operating Area Expansion Plan,’ which expands mainly to flat areas excluding congested sections of Subway Line 2, and revised the ‘Bicycle-Only Lane Installation Plan’ by adjusting priorities, such as changing Imbangul-daero, originally the first priority installation area, to third priority considering the Subway Line 2 construction schedule.

Following the committee’s review results, the city plans to proceed with related procedures including budget securing to enable the use of ‘Tarangkke,’ which was previously only available in the Sangmu district, in university areas such as Chonnam National University and Chosun University, as well as along the Gwangjucheon bicycle path sections.

In particular, university areas have been the most requested locations for ‘Tarangkke’ installations, and the expansion of usage areas is expected to promote its use as an eco-friendly commuting option for students.

Additionally, Gwangju plans to install bicycle-only lanes on major arterial roads within the city to improve bicycle traffic flow.

The candidate installation sites include the section from Gwangju Station to Gwangju Champions Field, the section from Bonchon Industrial Complex Intersection to Ilgok Middle School, and the section from Cheomdan District to Suwan District along Pungyeongjeongcheon Stream, with phased installation starting next year in accordance with the Subway Line 2 construction status.

Especially during route design, the city intends to cooperate with related agencies such as the police to minimize traffic impact on existing lanes and prioritize the safety and harmony of vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles.

Kim Jae-sik, Director of the Transportation and Construction Bureau, stated, “It is important to create an environment where bicycles can be naturally used anytime and anywhere in citizens’ daily lives,” adding, “Based on the committee’s opinions, we will promote related policies to develop Gwangju into a bicycle-friendly city.”

The Bicycle Usage Activation Committee is an organization that supports the promotion of Gwangju’s bicycle policies by establishing a five-year bicycle usage activation plan and providing advice on major bicycle policies in accordance with the ‘Act on the Promotion of Bicycle Use.’