Choi Hojung Revives Bus Stop on Street in Front of aT Center

Assemblyman Choi Hojung Saves the Sidewalk Bus Stop and U-turn Section in Front of aT Center That Was Almost Removed

Seoul Metropolitan Council Passes Petition to Preserve the Sidewalk Bus Stop and U-turn Section on Heolleung-ro Central Bus Lane in Front of aT Center at the 319th Plenary Session on the 28th

Assemblyman Choi Hojung (People Power Party Representative · Seocho 4) announced that the petition to preserve the sidewalk bus stop and U-turn section on the Heolleung-ro central bus lane (Gangnam-daero section) was passed at the 319th plenary session held on the 28th of last month.

The petition was submitted to the Seoul Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee on May 30th, introduced by Assemblyman Choi Hojung along with 809 local residents, and was approved.

The area around Yeomgok Intersection included in the Heolleung-ro central bus lane (Gangnam-daero) is one of Seoul’s representative chronic congestion points, suffering from severe traffic jams due to numerous metropolitan buses and vehicles turning right or entering Gwacheon or the Gyeongbu Expressway (Yangjae IC).

Accordingly, Seoul City planned to establish a central bus lane connecting Gangnam-daero and Heolleung-ro and to integrate the scattered metropolitan, trunk, and branch bus stops on the roadside into a central location.

However, if all bus stops were moved to the central lane, the bus usage environment for Yangjae-dong residents would become more inconvenient, and the U-turn to Yangjae 2-dong would be abolished, making regional accessibility extremely difficult, which was obvious.

Assemblyman Choi, together with 809 local residents, initiated a petition requesting the preservation of the existing sidewalk bus stop in front of the aT Center and the intersection U-turn zone for Yangjae area residents, as well as adjustments to Gyeonggi-do metropolitan bus routes.

In introducing the petition, Assemblyman Choi acknowledged Seoul City’s intention to establish a central bus lane on the Heolleung-ro section of Gangnam-daero for smooth metropolitan transportation network communication but pointed out concerns that placing all buses, including those using the sidewalk stop in front of the aT Center, on the central bus lane could increase congestion on the central bus lane.

He also explained that abolishing the U-turn in front of the aT Center intersection would increase detour distances for nearby Yangjae-dong residents who currently use the U-turn.

After the petition was passed, the Seoul City Urban Transportation Office’s Traffic Operation Division promptly expressed willingness to accept it and began devising countermeasures.

First, the design was changed to preserve the U-turn at the aT Center intersection, and active measures were planned to pass the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s traffic safety review.

Also, the roadside bus stop will be preserved, and the relevant bus routes will be coordinated with the Seoul City Bus Policy Division.

Assemblyman Choi said, “I appreciate Seoul City’s swift response after the petition was passed,” and added, “In the mid-to-long term, to prevent congestion of metropolitan buses passing through Yeomgok Intersection to Yangjae IC, it is necessary for the Metropolitan Area Transport Committee, Gyeonggi-do, and Seoul City to consider alternatives such as adjusting and reducing metropolitan bus routes and improving functions to alleviate traffic congestion with additional central bus lanes. I will continue to pay attention to this.”