Jung Changsoo, Gwangju Namgu Council Member: "Comprehensive Measures Needed for Jinwol IC Access Ramp Construction"

"Gwangju City Criticized for Pushing Project Forward Without Public Hearing"

Jung Changsoo, Gwangju Namgu Council Member.

There have been calls for comprehensive measures that take into account traffic volume and vehicle flow in relation to the construction of the Gwangju Jinwol Interchange (IC) access ramps.

Jung Changsoo, a member of the Gwangju Namgu Council, stated during a five-minute free speech at the second plenary session of the 314th extraordinary meeting on the 16th, "It is deeply regrettable that the city of Gwangju proceeded with the project without holding a public hearing or collecting residents' opinions, despite the fact that this issue has a significant impact on residents' daily lives." He added, "Until the city finds common ground with residents, it is necessary to reconsider options such as temporarily suspending construction of the access ramp and installing a traffic signal in front of the apartment complex, and to re-discuss possible improvements."

Jung explained, "The newly established exit from Jinwol IC toward Jinwol-dong has caused bottlenecks on Hwasan-ro, and the section of Hwasan-ro from the International Tennis Center to the Multipurpose Gymnasium is experiencing excessive traffic volume." He continued, "Due to insufficient separation of left-turn and right-turn lanes at the new exit ramp and a short right-turn lane section, severe congestion occurs during rush hours."

He went on to say, "It is urgent to improve the structure of the exit ramp by separating left-turn and right-turn lanes to disperse vehicle flow. Comprehensive measures that consider the entire section of Hwasan-ro are needed to improve overall traffic flow." He argued, "The section of Hwasan-ro from Gowoon High Plus Intersection to Jin Arichae Apartment currently has only two lanes in one direction, which cannot accommodate the traffic volume. Therefore, expanding the number of lanes to physically increase capacity must be pursued in parallel."

Regarding the issue of the southbound ramp from the Gwangju National University direction toward Nodadong, he said, "The ramp is located close to the rear entrance of Songhwa Village Phase 3 Apartment, where vehicles exiting the Second Ring Road, vehicles entering from the direction of Gwangju National University, and apartment complex vehicles all merge at a single point. This raises concerns," he said. "As a result, it will become virtually impossible to use the rear entrance of the apartment, which could cause significant disruption to the movement of about 1,000 resident vehicles."

Additionally, he emphasized, "Since Jinwol IC is a long-awaited project for local residents and is important for building a convenient transportation infrastructure, it must not be carried out in a way that undermines residents' daily lives, traffic safety, or mobility rights." He urged, "Namgu District Office and related departments should serve as a bridge for communication with the city of Gwangju during consultations, so that the voices of Namgu residents are fully reflected."