Resolving Residents' Requests in Wirye New Town... Songpa-gu Improves Road Conditions from Jangjigyo Intersection to Songpa IC2 Bridge

[Seoul District News] Songpa-gu Connects Disconnected Routes, Expands Lanes for Resident-Friendly Administration... Gangseo-gu to Hold 'Hwagok Becomes Magok' Old Town Revitalization Resident Briefing at District Office Auditorium on 20th at 7 PM

Pedestrian Overpass

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced on the 19th that it completed the "Road Condition Improvement Project between Jangjigyo Intersection and Songpa IC2 Bridge," a long-awaited project for residents of Wirye New Town, last month, significantly improving the road environment.

The "Road Condition Improvement Project between Jangjigyo Intersection and Songpa IC2 Bridge" was a project recognized as necessary not only by residents of Wirye New Town in Songpa, Seongnam, and Hanam but also by the project implementers (LH, SH) due to the disconnected route and traffic congestion between Wirye New Town and Songpa-daero. However, the project was delayed for several years because it was considered "outside the Wirye residential land development project area."

Accordingly, the district led active consultations among related organizations (SH, LH, Korea Expressway Corporation, etc.), arranged a reasonable plan where SH and LH would bear the necessary funds, the district would handle design services and gather residents' opinions, and the construction would be carried out by the Korea Expressway Corporation.

Since 2018, the project has been underway, restoring the disconnected route between Wirye New Town and Songpa-daero through the installation of pedestrian overpasses and new sidewalks and crosswalks, expanding lanes toward Wirye to improve the pedestrian environment and traffic conditions, and implementing life-oriented administration that residents of Wirye New Town can feel.

In addition, the district is currently advancing the "Landscape Improvement Project under Songpa IC2 Bridge and Two Other Locations" to enhance the scenery beneath the Metropolitan Area 1st Circular Expressway, which provides access to and from Wirye New Town, with a progress rate of 95% as of September. Although construction was temporarily halted due to issues such as the maintenance responsibility and cost burden of landscape facilities during the project, the district intervened, and through mediation by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, a smooth agreement was reached among related organizations, with completion scheduled for October.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, "The installation of pedestrian overpasses, connection of disconnected routes, and landscape improvements under the expressway, which were long-awaited by residents, will be an opportunity to improve their quality of life," adding, "We will solve residents' long-standing projects one by one across Songpa-gu, not only in Wirye New Town, to create a better place to live."

Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Tae-woo) is preparing a venue to respond to residents' wishes regarding redevelopment and reconstruction.

The district announced that it will hold a residents' briefing session on the revitalization of the old downtown (redevelopment and reconstruction) titled "Hwagok becomes Magok too" on the 20th.

This residents' briefing session is the first occasion organized by the district to respond to the long-standing wishes of local residents for redevelopment and reconstruction in the old downtown areas such as Hwagok-dong.

This is a full-scale move to realize "Hwagok becomes Magok too," which Mayor Kim proposed as his top priority pledge during his candidacy, aiming to share progress and present a vision for redevelopment and reconstruction.

Earlier, in August, the district reorganized its structure by establishing the "Old Downtown Development Team" and "Moa Town Team" as the first step to improve the residential environment of the old downtown, which had declined due to the development of the Magok district, and to achieve balanced regional development within Gangseo-gu.

During the briefing session, Mayor Kim will directly present the progress of projects the district has promoted for revitalizing the old downtown, including the enactment of ordinances supporting old downtown revitalization, the formation and operation of a public-private joint old downtown promotion committee, recruitment and operation of resident communication supporters, and the revision of ordinances to support the relaxation of airport height restrictions, followed by a Q&A session with residents.

Additionally, explanations will be provided about projects the district is promoting to expand housing supply in the old downtown, such as Moa Town and the Urban Public Housing Complex Project.

The briefing session will be held on the 20th at 7 p.m. in the auditorium on the second basement floor of Gangseo-gu Office and is open to any local residents interested in old downtown revitalization.

It will also be broadcast live in real-time through Gangseo-gu Office's official YouTube channel, iGangseoTV.

Starting with this residents' briefing session, the district plans to actively cooperate with related organizations such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Seoul City to accelerate the old downtown revitalization projects.

Mayor Kim Tae-woo said, "We will continue to hold residents' briefing sessions led by the district office and promote successful redevelopment and reconstruction through a triangular alliance of residents, government, and experts," adding, "With the power of Gangseo residents, we will surely fulfill the promise that Hwagok becomes Magok too."