750 Million Won in National Funding Secured;
8.67 km Bus Rapid Transit System to Be Implemented
Average Travel Speed Expected to Improve by 58.5%;
Accelerating Shift Toward Public Transport-Oriented Mobility
Gwangju Metropolitan City will launch the "Baegun-Maegok Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)" project this year in preparation for large-scale development in the Gwangcheon area. With 750 million won in national funding secured, the city plans to accelerate the transition to a north-south public transportation system by beginning the basic and detailed design procedures.
On January 1, Gwangju City announced that it will invest a total of 36.1 billion won to introduce a BRT route along an 8.67-kilometer section connecting Baegun Square to Gwangju Technical High School. The route, which was included in the "First Comprehensive BRT Plan Revision (2021-2030)" to address traffic congestion in the Gwangcheon area, will connect Baegun Square (formerly Daedong High School), Nongseong Station, Gwangcheon Intersection, and Kyungshin Girls' High School before reaching Gwangju Technical High School.
Given the area's characteristics, with concentrated development projects such as the Gwangcheon redevelopment, Shinsegae Department Store expansion, and the opening of The Hyundai Gwangju, the city established a "Gwangcheon Area Public Transport, Bicycle, and Pedestrian-Oriented Special Transport Plan" last year. Since then, the city has begun a feasibility study, collecting feedback from relevant agencies and experts, and is currently refining the basic concept and implementation plan. In February, the city will finalize the development plan-including key facility plans, operational systems, and the scale of dedicated vehicles and stations-before moving on to the design phase.
According to the feasibility study, the introduction of BRT is expected to increase the average bus travel speed from 13.5 km/h to 21.4 km/h, an improvement of approximately 58.5%. Daily ridership in 2028 is projected to rise from 28,126 without BRT to 33,209 with BRT, an increase of about 18.1%. The city anticipates that improved punctuality and reduced traffic congestion will further strengthen public transport-oriented mobility.
Kim Joungho, Director of Metropolitan Transportation, stated, "Establishing the Baegun-Maegok Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is a key project for transitioning the urban north-south transportation system. With national funding secured, we will proceed with the basic and detailed design this year without delay to deliver tangible transportation improvements that citizens can experience."
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