Securing Temporary Parking Lots for Large Buses in November
Establishing an Emergency Response System
Daejeon City is establishing an emergency response system, including the provision of temporary parking lots for large buses, to reduce traffic congestion around Jangtaesan Recreational Forest, where the autumn foliage is at its peak.
Over the past three years, Jangtaesan Recreational Forest has seen an average of about 1.74 million visitors annually, with approximately 27% of them visiting during the autumn foliage season in October and November. On weekends in particular, more than 20,000 people visit per day, and over 100 large buses converge on the area, causing severe congestion on the main road leading to the forest (about 4 km).
What would normally take 10 to 15 minutes can take 1 to 2 hours on weekends during the foliage season, causing significant inconvenience for visitors.
In response, Daejeon City has designated weekends and public holidays from November 1 to 30 as a special traffic management period and is focusing on several measures: securing temporary parking lots, deploying traffic guides (in cooperation with relevant agencies), cracking down on illegal parking and stopping, operating a promotion and information control room, and establishing an emergency response system.
First, temporary parking lots for large buses will be provided to enhance visitor convenience. After passengers are dropped off at the forest parking lot, buses will move to temporary parking lots set up at the Giseong Middle School playground and along Beolgok-ro.
As a result, congestion on roads around the recreational forest will be eased, and movement for both regular vehicles and pedestrians will become much smoother. Additionally, a separate turnaround area for large buses will be created in the second parking lot, and a central divider will be installed along a 1.2 km section to prevent roadside parking and improve traffic flow.
Advance promotion and real-time guidance will also be strengthened. The city is providing information about traffic congestion and enforcement in advance through its website and social media, while additional signs and banners are being installed on-site to offer real-time parking information and encourage the dispersal of vehicles.
Enforcement against illegal parking and stopping will also ensure safety in emergency situations. The crackdown will focus on the areas around welfare facilities such as nursing homes near the forest, securing emergency passageways and ensuring the safety of citizens. This initiative is being jointly implemented by Daejeon City, Seo-gu (Traffic Division and Parking Administration Division), Giseong-dong, the Seobu Police Station, and other relevant agencies to control traffic and maintain order.
Park Youngcheol, Director General of Greenery and Agro-Bio at Daejeon City, stated, "We are concentrating all administrative efforts to ensure that autumn in Jangtaesan is not marred by traffic congestion," adding, "We will create a pleasant and safe recreational environment, making Jangtaesan the nation’s premier forest travel destination where both citizens and tourists can happily enjoy the autumn foliage."
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