'Super' BRT to Be Introduced on Gimpo Airport-Bucheon Stadium and Namhansanseong-Moran Station Routes

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Establishes 'S-BRT Standard Guidelines'... Five Routes Selected for Pilot Project
Securing Subway-Level Punctuality by Implementing Grade-Separated Intersections and Priority Signals

▲ Incheon Gyeyang·Bucheon Daejang S-BRT Pilot Project Route (Proposed) (Provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Metropolitan Area Wide-area Transportation Committee announced on the 2nd that it has prepared the 'S-BRT Standard Guidelines' for the introduction of the 'Super Bus Rapid Transit System' (S-BRT) and selected a total of five locations?Incheon Gyeyang·Bucheon Daejang, Gyeongnam Changwon, Incheon, Gyeonggi Seongnam, and Sejong?as pilot projects.

BRT was first introduced domestically in 2004 and has been implemented in 24 locations nationwide, but it was developed at the level of a central bus-only lane and has been evaluated as falling far short of expectations. Accordingly, the government decided to introduce S-BRT, which provides subway-level service, in the metropolitan area transportation improvement plan announced in 2018.

According to the newly established standard guidelines, S-BRT is defined as a premium BRT that offers fast speed and convenience by utilizing dedicated facilities and operation systems such as exclusive roads and advanced stations. It aims for an average operating speed of 35 km/h for express service. To achieve this service level, recommended and mandatory requirements are presented for a total of 16 detailed elements across five areas: dedicated lanes, station facilities, vehicles, and operation systems.

The S-BRT introduced according to the standard guidelines can stop only at stations like a subway regardless of road conditions by using dedicated roads separated from general roads, three-dimensional intersections or priority signals, and overtaking lanes, significantly improving speed and punctuality compared to existing BRT.

Station convenience is also enhanced. Closed or semi-open stations protected from snow, rain, and fine dust will be installed, allowing for level boarding and alighting. Operation vehicles will prioritize eco-friendly vehicles such as hydrogen and electric buses, and large-capacity vehicles like articulated buses will also be deployed. Additionally, a pre-payment system will be introduced at stations, and passenger convenience services such as heating and cooling facilities and Wi-Fi will be provided in vehicles and stations.

▲ Comparison between existing BRT and S-BRT (Provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport selected five routes?Incheon Gyeyang·Bucheon Daejang, Gyeongnam Changwon, Incheon, Gyeonggi Seongnam, and Sejong?that meet these standard guidelines as pilot projects through evaluations by a committee of experts.

In the third-generation new towns of Incheon Gyeyang and Bucheon Daejang, an S-BRT line with a total length of 17.3 km will be established, connecting Seoul Subway Lines 5 and 9, Gimpo Airport Station on the Airport Railroad, Incheon Subway Line 1's Bakchon Station, and Seoul Line 7's Bucheon Sports Complex Station. This is expected to shorten commuting times for residents of the new towns.

On the already operating 22.9 km BRT section in Sejong, advanced stations, a pre-payment system, electric and articulated buses, and priority signal systems will be introduced to allow an early glimpse of the actual S-BRT before the introduction of new lines.

Additionally, S-BRT connected with existing transportation such as subways or BRT will be promoted in the 9.3 km section from Dokye Square to Gaeumjeong Intersection in Changwon, Gyeongnam; the 9.4 km section from Inha University to West Incheon in Incheon; and the 5.2 km section from Namhansanseong Entrance to Moran Station Intersection in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.

The Ministry plans to incorporate the selected pilot projects into next year's higher-level plans and proceed with full-scale implementation through the establishment of basic plans.

Park Jin-hong, head of the Bus Rapid Transit System Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "S-BRT can be a low-cost, high-efficiency public transportation method that provides subway-level bus services while requiring only half the construction time and less than 10% of the cost compared to urban rail." He added, "We plan to provide wholehearted support to ensure that high-quality S-BRT is constructed and operated in the pilot project areas."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.