Incheon City Develops Nation's First Pedestrian Evolution Design... Establishes 'Safe Walking Zone' Around Gil Hospital

Incheon City has developed a pedestrian-friendly design for vulnerable pedestrians around hospitals for the first time in the nation, creating a pedestrian safety zone around Gil Hospital in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu.

On the 5th, the city held a public design business agreement ceremony at the Brain Science Research Institute of Gachon University Gil Hospital, together with Namdong-gu, Incheon, and Gil Hospital, agreeing to cooperate on improving the pedestrian environment of the pedestrian safety zone (H-ZONE, hospital zone), developing public design research, and contributing to the local community.

'H-ZONE' is a project that designates a certain area within a 500m radius of large hospitals with more than 300 beds (a distance that vulnerable pedestrians can reach within 10 minutes on foot) as a pedestrian safety zone to protect vulnerable pedestrians from risks such as traffic accidents and pedestrian safety accidents, and creates an optimal pedestrian environment.

Incheon City launched the 7th project to revitalize the old downtown design in July last year and established the nation's first 'H-ZONE Guideline' at the end of last month. It also pilot-produced and installed this design near Guwol-dong, where Gil Hospital is located.

Safe walking zone around Gil Hospital, Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon [Photo provided by Incheon City]

The three organizations plan to promote follow-up projects for the establishment of H-ZONE in the future. In addition, Incheon City plans to distribute the H-ZONE guidelines to districts and related organizations to expand its adoption.

Yoo Jeong-bok, Mayor of Incheon, said, "Future urban administration requires all city members to think and participate together, so starting with this agreement ceremony, we will actively expand public design policies where the public and private sectors continuously cooperate." He added, "We will expand the H-ZONE pilot project around medical facilities to nearby areas to create a pedestrian environment for not only vulnerable pedestrians but all citizens."

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