Ulsan City to Create Safe Walking Environment for Children

Launch of 'Intelligent Child Protection Zone Pedestrian Safety System'

Introduction of pedestrian safety facilities in 14 child protection zones

Ulsan City is launching the "Intelligent Child Protection Zone (Smart School Zone) Pedestrian Safety System" to create a safer walking environment for children.

On the 31st at 3 p.m., Ulsan City will hold a kickoff briefing for the "Smart School Zone Pedestrian Safety System Construction Project" in the main building's international conference room, with about 10 representatives from Ulsan City, Buk-gu District Office, Ulsan Police Agency, and project contractors in attendance.

This project is being promoted as part of the Ministry of Science and ICT's "2024 Intelligent Village (Smart Village) Supply and Expansion Project."

A total project budget of 1.25 billion KRW (1 billion KRW from the national government and 250 million KRW from the city) will be invested by December.

The main focus is to enhance pedestrian safety in child protection zones in the Buk-gu area, including ▲expanding crosswalk pedestrian safety facilities ▲introducing smart traffic safety facilities ▲advancing the intelligent mobility online platform (smart mobility platform).

The expansion of crosswalk pedestrian safety facilities includes automatic extension of pedestrian signals, display devices showing remaining time for green and red lights, and installation of runway-style crosswalks to prevent accidents in child protection zones.

With automatic extension of crossing time, it is expected that vulnerable road users with slower walking speeds (children, the elderly, people with disabilities, etc.) will be able to cross safely. Additionally, replacing existing signal lights that only showed the remaining green time with new ones that also display the remaining red time will help reduce jaywalking.

Plans also include installing LED guide lights at regular intervals along the edges of crosswalks, similar to airplane runways, to make crosswalks more visible at night or during rain, thereby preventing traffic accidents.

As part of the smart traffic safety facility initiative, an unmanned rear enforcement system will be installed in child protection zones to prevent reckless and speeding behavior by motorcycles and other two-wheeled vehicles, and to create a safer traffic environment.

The rear unmanned enforcement system, unlike the existing system that only recognizes the front of vehicles, can recognize rear license plates, allowing for enforcement of traffic signals and speeding violations by vehicles and two-wheelers.

Additionally, a time-based speed limit system will be piloted for the first time in Ulsan in a 200-meter section around the Sincheon Intersection on Hogye-ro in Buk-gu.

This system will flexibly operate the speed limit in child protection zones according to real-time road conditions, only relaxing the speed limit during late-night hours when almost no children are present. The final operational plan will be decided after a review by the Ulsan Police Agency's traffic safety facility committee.

The city will also work on advancing the intelligent mobility online platform.

Through this project, data such as traffic signal information and video footage will be integrated and collected to enhance the intelligent smart mobility platform, enabling analysis of signal operation effectiveness and pedestrian behavior.

Furthermore, the data collected on the smart mobility platform will be provided as big data to support Ulsan City's policy development.

An Ulsan City official stated, "We expect that creating a safe walking environment through citizen-centered mobility services will greatly improve the quality of life for citizens by preventing pedestrian accidents and ensuring pedestrian mobility rights."