"Let's Protect Together! Increasing Safety on Hangang Park Bicycle Paths with 'Happiness Speed 20'"

Rapid Increase in Bicycle Use After COVID-19... City Hangang Project Headquarters Implements 5 Major Measures to Create a Safe Environment for Bicycle Use
AI-Based CCTV Analyzes Bicycle Traffic Volume and Speed... Red Light Display Installed on Electronic Signboard When Safety Speed is Exceeded

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Hangang Project Headquarters announced on the 22nd that it will implement five major measures to create a safe bicycle road environment for both cyclists and pedestrians, as the use of bicycles, a non-face-to-face transportation method, has surged to over 15 million users annually due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The five major measures are ▲ installation of AI-based CCTV and speed guidance electronic signboards ▲ enhancement of road surface markings ▲ installation of logo projectors ▲ creation of elevated crosswalks ▲ and conducting a focused campaign for safe bicycle road riding.

The Hangang Project Headquarters first installed AI-based CCTV cameras (16 units) on bicycle roads in nine Hangang parks including Nanji, Ttukseom, and Jamsil. These cameras collect and analyze real-time bicycle traffic volume and speed information to expand safety infrastructure in accident-prone areas and utilize the data in various ways. The AI CCTV was installed last October as part of the ‘2021 Testbed Seoul’ demonstration project and is planned to be operated on a trial basis until April next year.

Some of the CCTVs are also equipped with speed guidance electronic signboards (10 units) that display the speed of bicycles in real time. If the speed is below the safe speed (20 km/h), it shows green; if exceeded, it shows red to prevent safety accidents.

In 10 crowded areas and accident-prone zones, speed limit road surface markings indicating the safe speed of 20 km/h were installed at 100-meter intervals, totaling 106 markings, to raise awareness about the safe speed.

Forty-four logo projectors are installed and operated on bicycle road surfaces or Hangang bridge walls. Logo projectors are devices that project light onto phrases or images, making them highly visible at night. They are especially effective in preventing accidents during the autumn and winter seasons when daylight is shorter. The Hangang Project Headquarters selected 44 locations with a high likelihood of bicycle accidents, such as steep slopes, sharp curves, and intersections, through a preliminary survey last October, and plans to complete the installation of logo projectors in these areas by the end of this month.

Additionally, in 10 pedestrian-dense areas within Hangang parks such as Yeouido, Ttukseom, Banpo, and Nanji, ‘elevated crosswalks’ about 10 cm high will be created, and focused lighting will be installed to make pedestrians crossing the road easily recognizable from a distance. All are planned to be completed by the end of this month.

A ‘Bicycle Road Safe Riding Focused Campaign’ will be conducted throughout November, mainly in areas prone to accidents such as intersections and crosswalks, together with citizen volunteers. Participants will wear backpack covers engraved with a logo indicating riding at speeds below 20 km/h to raise awareness of compliance with the safe speed. Promotion of the 『Basic Safety Rules for Bicycle Users』 will also be carried out at various Hangang park rest areas such as under bridge piers. A variety of campaign activities will be implemented to properly establish a ‘safe bicycle riding culture’ within Hangang parks.

Hwang In-sik, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Hangang Project Headquarters, said, “As bicycle use has surged as a non-face-to-face transportation method after COVID-19, we will devote all efforts to creating a safe bicycle road environment. Especially during the winter season with shorter daylight or at night, we hope citizens actively participate in ‘safe speed, riding below 20 km/h,’ so that everyone can safely enjoy Hangang parks.”

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