Launch of Route Restructuring Study... Conclusions by Year-End
New Routes to Be Introduced in Wonhyo 2-dong and Ichon 2-dong
On May 18, Yongsan-gu in Seoul announced that it has begun a comprehensive overhaul of its village bus routes and has initiated a research project to enable systematic and scientific route restructuring.
To this end, the district held a kickoff meeting for the "Yongsan-gu Village Bus Route Improvement Research Project" on May 9. The purpose of this research is to address public transportation blind spots and provide balanced transportation services within the district.
The core of the project is to identify new routes and reorganize existing ones, focusing particularly on areas with insufficient transportation infrastructure such as Wonhyo 2-dong and Ichon 2-dong. The research is being conducted in collaboration with the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Korea National University of Transportation.
At the meeting, key issues were discussed in depth, including the identification of new routes for areas with weak public transportation, redefining the roles of cultural shuttle buses and village buses, minimizing route overlap, and improving accessibility. The plan presented at the meeting aims to introduce new village bus routes in areas with low transportation accessibility, such as Wonhyo 2-dong and Ichon 2-dong, to guarantee residents' right to mobility.
In addition, the district will analyze the usage patterns of cultural shuttle buses and existing village buses to minimize redundancy and inefficiency, and will seek an integrated operation system that allows residents to use the service more conveniently. The district is also considering restructuring the route system by minimizing route overlap and rationalizing routes. After holding an interim report meeting in the second half of this year, the district plans to complete the research by the end of the year and gradually implement the improved village bus routes starting next year.
The district will also hold meetings with village bus operators to incorporate on-site feedback into policy through a participatory approach. Furthermore, by the end of this month, bus information terminals (BIT) will be installed at 32 locations in the district. For bus stops where crime prevention is needed, "safety bells" connected to the 112 situation room will be installed to enhance residents' safety.
Park Heeyoung, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, stated, "Transportation is a basic infrastructure of residents' lives, and everyone should be able to use it conveniently and safely without discrimination. Through this research project, we will ensure that all residents, including those with limited transportation access, can experience tangible improvements."
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