Chungnam Gongju~Sejong 'Metropolitan BRT' to Operate from 2025

Chungnam Gongju~Sejong Metropolitan Trunk Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route Map. Provided by Chungnam Province

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The metropolitan bus rapid transit (BRT) system connecting Gongju, Chungnam, and Sejong is scheduled to begin operation in 2025.

Chungnam Province announced on the 5th that the BRT development project for this section has received final approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Metropolitan Area Wide-area Transportation Committee.

The total length of the Gongju~Sejong BRT route is 18.5 km. The main route runs from Gongju Intercity Bus Terminal to Singwan Central Intersection, Beonyeong 1-ro, Singwan Elementary School, National Road No. 36 (Seosejong IC), Government Sejong Complex, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital, and Hanbyeol-dong in Sejong City. A total of 24 stops will be provided at 12 locations along this section.

The project will begin next month with the establishment of an implementation plan, gathering opinions from local residents and experts, finalizing the plan by next year, and starting construction such as stop installation and road widening and paving in the first half of 2024.

The province expects that once the project is completed, the public transportation system between Gongju and Sejong will be improved, contributing to the establishment of a wide-area economic living zone in the Chungcheong region.

In particular, the exclusive lane ratio for the Gongju~Sejong BRT route is 97%, and the travel time between the two areas is expected to be reduced by about 20 minutes, from the current 57 minutes to 39 minutes, according to the province.

The province plans to set the BRT dispatch interval between Gongju and Sejong within 8 minutes during peak hours and install stops equipped with advanced functions and convenience to enhance user comfort.

A provincial official said, “We expect that the establishment of the Gongju~Sejong BRT route will play a positive role in the future mutual development of the Chungcheong region.”

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