Jeongja Bridge Collapse... Gwanak-gu Conducts Emergency Special Inspections on Bridges and Overpasses

Gwanak-gu, April 6-12 Inspection of 28 Road Facilities Including Bridges and 66 Steep Slopes Including Retaining Walls - Joint Special Inspection with External Experts

Urgent Measures Such as Rapid Repairs and Usage Prohibition When Risk Factors Are Found

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) has launched a special safety inspection of public facilities such as bridges and pedestrian overpasses in response to the collapse accident of Jeongja Bridge in Bundang-gu, Seongnam City, which occurred on the 5th.

The inspection will be conducted from April 6 to 12, covering a total of 94 sites including 16 bridges, 8 pedestrian overpasses, 66 steep slopes, 1 tunnel, and 3 soundproof walls within the district.

Twenty-eight road facilities such as bridges and pedestrian overpasses will be inspected jointly with external experts (Safety Advisory Group), while 66 steep slopes including retaining walls and stone embankments will be self-inspected by the management department.

Gwanak-gu Byeolbitnaerimcheon (Dorimcheon) Sinbon Bridge Panorama

The district will focus on checking for abnormalities such as cracks or deformations in the facilities and their safety status, and will carefully examine whether any abnormal signs have appeared since the ‘Safety Inspection of Vulnerable Facilities during Thawing Season’ conducted in February and March.

Correctable issues found during the inspection will be promptly repaired or reinforced, and if serious defects or risk factors are discovered, emergency measures such as prohibiting the use of public facilities or evacuation orders will be implemented to prevent disasters.

Park Junhee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “We will thoroughly inspect public facilities in the area to ensure that residents can live with peace of mind and make every effort to prevent safety accidents.”

Gangbuk-gu, Nationwide First Steep Slope Safety Map and Road Facility Safety Management Ledger Created

Complete Survey of 1,301 Steep Slopes on District Roads Completed, Risky Areas to Be Addressed Starting This Year

Complete Survey of 936 Road Facilities (Maintenance) Completed, Scientific Management System Established with QR Codes

Future Construction of ‘Gangbuk-gu Safety Information App’ to Share Know-how with Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Seoul City, and Local Governments Nationwide

Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Soonhee) announced that it has created the nation’s first steep slope safety map and road facility maintenance and safety management ledger to protect pedestrian safety.

In January 2023, a total of 32 people including 12 university student part-timers residing in Gangbuk-gu, 12 advisory committee members, and 8 public officials conducted a complete survey of 1,301 steep slopes, 332 safety fences, 271 staircases, and 333 benches, totaling 936 road facilities, and completed the steep slope safety map and road facility safety management ledger.

Complete Survey of 1,301 Steep Slopes on Gangbuk-gu Roads Completed, Risky Areas to Be Addressed Starting This Year

The steep slope safety map was completed by using the slope analysis function of Seoul Special City’s S-MAP to conduct a full survey of 1,301 steep slopes in 13 neighborhoods (including Insuibong-ro, Solsaem-ro, etc.). The slopes were classified into four levels, and colors were used to indicate the slope levels at a glance.

Referring to the completed steep slope safety map, the district plans to prioritize the ‘Steep Slope Safe Road Pedestrian Environment Improvement Project’ this year, replacing old small high-pressure blocks with slip-resistant paving blocks on school routes of Samgaksan Elementary and Middle Schools (15% slope) and Miyang Elementary School (19% slope) to ensure pedestrian safety for students.

Slip-resistant line pavement blocks with a slip resistance index higher than 50 BPN based on Seoul Metropolitan City standards

Additionally, the ‘Ohhyeon-ro Pedestrian Environment Improvement Project’ will replace clay blocks with low slip resistance index in the Ohhyeon-ro section with highly slip-resistant paving blocks to prevent safety accidents for visitors to Buk Seoul Dream Forest (13% slope).

In the future, the district plans to allocate budgets to other steep slope areas such as Insuibong-ro (Hyehwa Girls’ High School, Solsaem Middle and High Schools) to provide a safe walking environment for residents.

Complete Survey of Road Facilities (Maintenance) Completed, Scientific Management System Established with QR Codes to Provide Universal Welfare for Pedestrians and Residents

The road facility safety management ledger was created by identifying facility locations using road view functions and conducting on-site surveys, completing a full survey of 332 safety fences, 271 staircases, and 333 benches.

Facilities were classified according to detailed items such as type, damage status, length, and location, and each facility was assigned a unique management number and QR code. Based on the survey results, repair and reinforcement work will be carried out sequentially according to the degree of facility aging. Design techniques will be applied to harmonize with local characteristics, and low-impact development techniques using eco-friendly materials (stone, sand, soil, etc.) will be implemented to help improve urban flood prevention, thereby providing a safe and comfortable road environment for nearby residents.

Foundation Laid for Future ‘Gangbuk-gu Safety Information App’ Linking with Other Departments, Sharing with Related Agencies, and Dissemination to Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Seoul City, and Local Governments Nationwide

The district plans to integrate facility information drawings from various departments such as Safety and Flood Control Division, Traffic Administration Division, Parks and Greenery Division, and Digital Information Division into layers to build the ‘Gangbuk-gu Safety Information App’ and share data with related agencies (Gangbuk Police Station, Gangbuk Fire Station, Northern Road Office, etc.).

Lee Soonhee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, emphasized, “By creating the nation’s first steep slope road safety map and road facility safety management ledger, we have taken a step forward in enhancing regional safety. We will also strive to disseminate this to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Seoul City, and local governments nationwide to contribute to building the foundation for safety apps in Korea.”

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