Approval of Goyang-Eunpyeong Line Basic Plan by Daegwangwi
"Half-baked Railway Ignoring Local Suffering" Criticism
Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) recently criticized the ‘Goyang-Eunpyeong Line Metropolitan Railway Basic Plan’ approved by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Metropolitan Area Wide-area Transportation Committee (MAWTC) on the 9th, calling it a “half-baked railway” that only considers specific areas while ignoring the suffering of Eunpyeong-gu.
The Goyang-Eunpyeong Line is a key route that connects directly with the Western Line and is expected to revolutionize the western transportation environment of Seoul. However, Gyeonggi Province received MAWTC’s approval for the basic plan excluding ‘Sinsagogae Station’.
Eunpyeong-gu stated that the necessity of Sinsagogae Station on the Goyang-Eunpyeong Line is clear. Saejeol Station has the highest usage demand among stations on the Goyang-Eunpyeong Line (18,326 daily users), significantly exceeding the Gyeonggi Province average (7,832 daily users across 8 stations). Nevertheless, despite this analysis, Gyeonggi Province excluded the establishment of Sinsagogae Station, which would share the demand of Saejeol Station, from the basic plan.
Above all, residents around Sinsadonggogae Intersection have been experiencing severe traffic congestion since the opening of Bongsan Tunnel in 2017. Considering the population of 290,000 in the old downtown area of Goyang City and the planned 80,000 residents of Changneung New Town, the burden on Eunpyeong-gu due to increased traffic volume has reached a very serious level.
Eunpyeong-gu pointed out that “despite such demand and traffic conditions, Gyeonggi Province has ignored the suffering of Eunpyeong-gu.” It also criticized Gyeonggi Province for applying a double standard by establishing two ‘stations for complaint handling’ within Gyeonggi Province to meet the average speed criteria, yet claiming that the section within Eunpyeong-gu violated the average speed standard, and compensating for the shortfall by utilizing ‘straight sections within Eunpyeong-gu.’
In 2022, Eunpyeong-gu conducted a feasibility study to secure economic viability for the establishment of Sinsagogae Station and has repeatedly requested the necessity of the station to MAWTC, Gyeonggi Province, Goyang City, and Seoul City. In July this year, Seoul City also emphasized in its submitted opinion to MAWTC that the establishment of Sinsagogae Station is a condition for the direct connection between the Goyang-Eunpyeong Line and the Western Line.
In this situation, Eunpyeong-gu has taken a firm stance that “without Sinsagogae Station, there is no Goyang-Eunpyeong Line,” strongly opposing the basic plan approved centered on Gyeonggi Province. Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said, “We will continue to push for the establishment of Sinsagogae Station by gathering the earnest wishes and will of the residents,” and “We strongly request Seoul City to actively fight together with Eunpyeong-gu for the establishment of Sinsagogae Station.”
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