Seohui Lee, Gangdong-gu Mayor, Conducts On-site Inspection Ahead of Subway Line 8 Amsa Station and Gongsan Park Station Opening

Visit to Amsa History Park Station Construction Site Ahead of June Completion... Emphasis on Ensuring Construction Site Safety
Full Efforts to Alleviate Congestion Before Line 8 Extension (Byeollae Line) Opening and Resolve Traffic Issues Including New Bus Routes

Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, visited the Amsa History Park Station construction site on the 19th. The visit was to inspect the traffic issues at Amsa History Park Station, which is scheduled for completion at the end of June this year.

On that day, Mayor Lee toured the station’s entrances, concourse, platforms, and other interior and exterior areas, urging for safe progress of the construction. She also emphasized the need to prepare traffic measures related to the opening of the Line 8 extension (hereafter Byeollae Line), including alleviating subway congestion and connecting public transportation following the completion of Amsa History Park Station.

Amsa History Park Station is the only station among the six newly established stations in the Seoul metropolitan area as part of the urban railway Line 8 (Byeollae Line) extension project, and the Seoul Metropolitan Infrastructure Headquarters is overseeing the construction. By the end of June, the completion date, some surface section paving and painting work, train operational test runs, and comprehensive reporting to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are scheduled to proceed.

Meanwhile, with the expected increase in users from the Gyeonggi area due to the opening of the Byeollae Line, concerns have been raised about the worsening congestion on Line 8, prompting calls for measures to alleviate this. According to the 2023 subway congestion data from Seoul Metro, the congestion rates for Gangdong-gu subway stations are ▲Gangdong-gu Office 138.7% ▲Cheonho Station 127.8%, indicating that Line 8 experiences the highest congestion. In particular, congestion is expected to exceed 150%, the threshold for Seoul Metro’s congestion mitigation measures, upon the opening of the Byeollae Line.

As resolving the high congestion on Line 8 is an urgent issue, the district has requested Seoul Metro to proactively implement congestion relief measures such as adding more trains and increasing service frequency, and has also asked for consideration of various improvement plans, including regular train formations from Amsa Station to Moran.

Additionally, the district is actively requesting Seoul City to introduce bus routes along Arisu-ro to facilitate connections between public transportation modes in line with the completion of Amsa History Park Station. Particularly, the approximately 4 km section of Arisu-ro from Seonsa Elementary School to Gangil-dong Entrance Intersection has seen continuous requests from local residents for new routes. However, due to relatively low public transportation demand, establishing new routes has been difficult. Considering the opening of the Byeollae Line and the resulting increase in bus usage demand, it is analyzed that Seoul City will be positive about establishing new bus routes on Arisu-ro.

Furthermore, reflecting concerns from nearby residents about traffic congestion caused by new bus routes, the district is continuously proposing the installation of bus bays near the entrances of Amsa History Park Station to Seoul City.

Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, “Many residents are eagerly awaiting the opening of Amsa History Park Station and the Byeollae Line,” adding, “We will do our best to actively request Seoul City and Seoul Metro to prepare measures such as increasing train frequency and adding trains to improve congestion on Line 8 following the opening, as well as to establish new bus routes to enhance public transportation connectivity, thereby improving transportation convenience for residents.”