Yongin City Prepares Comprehensive Snow Removal Plan... Four Teams Including Situation Room Activated

Yongin City is using snow removal vehicles to clear the snow accumulated on the roads.

[Asia Economy (Yongin) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province has established a comprehensive snow removal plan, including operating a responsibility system for priority management roads, to protect citizens' safety from heavy snowfall during winter.

Yongin City announced on the 25th that it has designated the snow removal period from next month 15th to March 15th of next year, and formed a Snow Removal Headquarters led by Mayor Lee Sang-il of Yongin City, operating four teams including a situation room.

This plan focuses on minimizing public inconvenience by establishing a field-centered preemptive response system.

First, to ensure rapid snow removal immediately after heavy snowfall, a responsibility system is operated by assigning a person in charge and deployed equipment for each priority management road.

For example, one 15-ton dump truck has been assigned to the section of National Road No. 42 (City Hall to Hyoja Hospital Hill, 4 km) and the section of Local Road No. 321 (Yongin University access road, 6 km), respectively.

The priority management roads, including these, cover 38 routes totaling 187.1 km, such as hilly roads with high risk of slip-and-fall accidents on snowy roads, shaded areas, and tunnel entrances.

The city also stocked 117 snow removal vehicles, 14 excavators, 125 spreaders, and 14,500 tons of eco-friendly snow removal agents at forward bases including the Vehicle Registration Office in Samga-dong, Cheoin-gu, three locations in Giheung-gu, and two locations in Suji-gu.

According to snowfall forecasts, less than 1 cm of snow is classified as the preemptive preparation stage, and 1 to 5 cm as Stage 1, during which the Road Management Division and the road divisions of each district office operate emergency duty teams.

When a heavy snow advisory is issued or snowfall exceeds 5 cm, Stage 2 is activated, and when a heavy snow warning is issued or snowfall exceeds 20 cm, Stage 3 emergency teams are operated with all staff involved.

Additionally, upon heavy snowfall, salt spray devices installed on each road will be activated immediately to prevent snow accumulation. These devices are installed at 93 major hill roads such as Jeongsuri Hill in Yangji-myeon, Cheoin-gu, and Gopdeun Hill in Wonsam-myeon, Cheoin-gu, as well as 18 habitual freezing sections including the access road to Sinbong Middle School in Suji-gu.

At nine locations, including Simgok Elementary School in Sanghyeon-dong, Suji-gu, and the access road to Hongcheon Middle School in Sinbong-dong, Suji-gu, heating cables have been installed as a countermeasure against black ice phenomena where the road surface freezes and vehicles slip.

A city official said, "We will protect citizens' safety with meticulous preparations one step ahead of sudden heavy snowfall," and urged, "Citizens are also asked to clear snow in front of their homes and stores during heavy snowfall and to use public transportation as much as possible."

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