Pedestrian Safety Up↑, Accidents Down↓ at Nowon Station Intersection, Nowon-gu

Pedestrian Environment Improvement Completed at Nowon Station Intersection with High Foot Traffic, Sidewalk Expanded up to 650㎡

Flowerbed-Type Green Strips Created Along Streets, Public Facilities Improved with Nowon-Style Design Applied

High Resident Satisfaction, Project Underway to Develop Nearby Nowon Station Street into a Culture-Specialized Street

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it has completed a road traffic flow improvement project around the Nowon Station intersection, creating a safe and pleasant pedestrian environment.

The district formed a dedicated team in 2021 to create a pedestrian-friendly environment at the Nowon Station intersection, a major crossroads and a representative area with dense foot traffic. The construction, which officially began in July last year, was divided into three main parts: removal of traffic islands, landscaping improvements, and facility maintenance.

First, the traffic islands and right-turn lanes, which were pointed out as causes of traffic accidents, were removed and replaced with sidewalks to enhance pedestrian convenience. The sidewalk area was expanded up to 650㎡, and the width of crosswalks increased from the previous 8m to 10m.

With changes in the width of sidewalks and crosswalks, the locations of CCTV, streetlights, traffic signals, and traffic facilities were adjusted, and aging facilities were improved. Additionally, LED ground-level traffic signals were newly installed at eight locations to help pedestrians with low sightlines easily recognize traffic lights.

Next, 19 large oak trees (Daewangchamnamu) were planted in the expanded pedestrian space to provide shade and green scenery for pedestrians. Eco-friendly green strips were created along the street edges to distinguish between the road and sidewalk, improving landscaping. These green strips were designed as street flowerbeds combining shrubs and herbaceous plants rather than a single species, allowing residents to enjoy seasonal changes in greenery throughout the year.

Finally, unnecessary public facilities that obstructed passage were removed, and essential public facilities were organized by applying Nowon-style public design to the walkways. The existing thick safety fences, which gave pedestrians a sense of oppression, were replaced with slim and neat designs. Bicycle racks were unified in color and design using sturdy materials instead of shiny stainless steel, enhancing the urban aesthetics.

Residents have responded positively to the transformed Nowon Station intersection. They especially appreciated the sense of safety while walking on the widened sidewalks and the cleaner surrounding environment.

Resident A, who commutes daily through the Nowon Station intersection, said, “With the traffic islands gone, the pedestrian path and road are completely separated, so the inconvenience of having to look left and right multiple times has disappeared.”

Resident B, who uses public transportation at Nowon Station, stated, “There used to be a lot of honking and traffic jams at the intersection, which was inconvenient, but it seems stabilized after the construction.”

In addition, the district is conducting design and detailed planning services to develop the nearby Nowon Culture Street into a differentiated culture-specialized street. Since the area is densely populated with shops, the opinions of local merchants will be thoroughly collected to revitalize the commercial district and create a space for residents.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “The once congested Nowon Station intersection has now been reborn as a safe and pleasant place. We will continue to carry out projects to create pedestrian-friendly environments so that even vulnerable pedestrians such as the elderly and children can enjoy walking in the city.”