School Zone Speed Limit Reduced to 15 km/h

▲ Conceptual diagram of 'Speed Limit 15 Zone' (Provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] A 'Speed Limit 15 Zone' project is being promoted to design roads so that vehicle speeds naturally stay below 15 km/h in areas such as school zones and residential neighborhoods. Roads that can be used jointly by bicycles and Personal Mobility (PM) devices, as well as road designs considerate of vulnerable road users, will also be established.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced on the 23rd that it has been commissioning a research project since the 19th to establish "People-Centered Road Design Guidelines" containing these details. Through the new design guidelines, MOLIT plans to move away from the quantitative increase focused on vehicle traffic flow and create road environments that enhance safety and convenience for people. The currently operating "Urban Area Road Design Guidelines" and "Road Design Guidelines for the Elderly" will be integrated into the people-centered road design guidelines.

Through this design guideline project, measures to reduce vehicle speed limits from the current 30 km/h to 15 km/h in school zones and residential areas will be studied. Plans include designing dead-end roads at the edges or minimizing the width of roadways to naturally induce speed reduction. MOLIT will identify roads near residential areas where pedestrian traffic accidents have recently continued, promote a pilot project for the 'Speed Limit 15 Zone,' and continuously monitor the effects and discover additional improvements.

New roads will also be defined that are separated from 'carriageways' or 'sidewalks' so that the increasing number of PM devices and bicycles can travel safely apart from pedestrians and automobiles. MOLIT plans to analyze PM specifications, performance, and user traffic characteristics to establish detailed design standards.

The name of the newly created roads through this project will be decided via a public contest to gather creative ideas. Applications are being accepted from the 20th of this month until the 5th of next month through the MOLIT-operated site "OnTong Plaza."

▲ Poster for the road name contest for roads shared by bicycles and PM (Personal Mobility) (Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

Along with this, detailed standards related to securing sufficient wheelchair waiting spaces within traffic islands and slope designs due to vehicle entry and exit on sidewalks will be prepared to ensure road design directions based on 'universal design' that anyone can use safely.

Kim Yong-seok, Director of the Road Bureau at MOLIT, said, "Once the people-centered road design guidelines are established, they will provide a safe and pleasant mobility environment for various road users," adding, "It is expected to play a significant role in establishing and spreading a people-first road culture."

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