Uijeongbu City, Planning the 'Future Railway Network' Together with Citizens

‘Uijeongbu Future Railway Network Plan Citizen Briefing’ Successfully Held

Kim Dong-geun, Mayor of Uijeongbu, is delivering a welcoming speech at the 'Uijeongbu Future Railway Network Plan Citizens' Briefing' held on the 22nd.

Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Dong-geun) held the 'Uijeongbu Future Railway Network Plan Citizen Briefing' at Uijeongbu Culture Station Ieum on the 22nd, providing a forum for citizen consensus on railway policy.

According to Uijeongbu City on the 23rd, the briefing was organized to share with citizens the extension plan of Line 8 (Byeollae Line) to Uijeongbu and the establishment of the Uijeongbu Light Rail Transit (LRT) circular line, which are among the city's major issues. The event was successfully held with about 150 attendees, including many citizens, provincial and city council members, and experts in railway and transportation fields.

The city has been sharing the railway policy formulation process with citizens from the early stages, holding two discussion meetings related to the future railway network plan in June and November last year. Ahead of the submission of proposals for the central government's mid- to long-term railway plans at the end of this year, the third citizen briefing was arranged.

In the first part of the briefing, a representative from the feasibility study service on 'Uijeongbu City Railway Network Efficiency Improvement Plan,' which the city has been promoting since last year, explained the comparative analysis of route alternatives, the optimal alternative, issues in implementation, and promotion plans regarding the extension of Line 8 (Byeollae Line) to Uijeongbu and the Uijeongbu LRT circular line.

In the second part, during the designated expert discussion session, sharp critiques and practical advice from railway and transportation experts on the feasibility study contents were presented.

The discussants emphasized that to complete the Gyeonggi Circular Railway Network, the extension of Line 8 (Byeollae Line) must be efficiently planned, requiring consensus among citizens and strategic cooperation with related local governments. They also suggested that, given the difficulty in securing economic feasibility for the Line 8 extension, efforts should be made to persuade the national government to promote the project.

Furthermore, they argued that development around Uijeongbu Station is necessary with the introduction of GTX-C, and to generate new demand accordingly, urban railway connection plans such as a light rail transit between Minrak, Gosan, and Uijeongbu Station should be considered. They also expressed regret over the past extension of Line 7 being implemented as a single line without passing through the eastern region.

Citizens attending the briefing participated in the discussion by proposing the necessity of double-tracking for the smooth operation of the future Line 7 extension and suggesting ground bridge construction methods to reduce the construction costs of the LRT circular line.

A city official stated, "At a time when proposals for new metropolitan railway projects are to be submitted to the 5th Metropolitan Transportation Implementation Plan by the Presidential Committee on Regional Development in the second half of this year, it is significant that a consensus with citizens has been formed regarding the extension of Line 8 (Byeollae Line) to Uijeongbu. We will proceed with consultations with related organizations during the remaining period to propose the project and will continue to make our best efforts to have the project reflected next year."

Mayor Kim Dong-geun emphasized, "The extension of Line 8 to Uijeongbu, the last key to establishing the metropolitan circular railway network, is an important matter. Additionally, the plan for the LRT circular line is necessary to create a walkable city."