Seonghwa Lim of Gwangju Seo-gu Council Calls for Creation of a Friendly Walking Environment

Proposals Include Expanding Nighttime Lighting
and Deploying Guides

Seonghwa Lim, a member of the Gwangju Seo-gu Council, announced on October 29 that he recently proposed a "Comprehensive Plan for Creating a Comfortable and Friendly Walking Environment in All Four Seasons" through a "5-Minute Free Speech" at the 3rd plenary session of the 334th extraordinary meeting.

Seonghwa Lim, a member of the Gwangju Seo-gu Council, recently proposed a "Comprehensive Plan for Creating a Comfortable and Friendly Walking Environment in All Four Seasons" through a "5-Minute Free Speech" at the 3rd plenary session of the 334th extraordinary meeting. Photo by Seonghwa Lim

Assemblyman Lim stated, "Walkways are the first impression of a city and a space that determines the quality of life for residents. Elderly people, children, and people with disabilities are experiencing inconvenience due to issues such as sidewalk subsidence, tree root upheaval, and uneven surfaces," emphasizing that "this is not just a matter of inconvenience but a serious safety blind spot."

He continued, "Complaints about the infringement of pedestrian rights among residents have been increasing due to the prolonged construction of Subway Line 2," and stressed, "Ensuring safety during construction is both an administrative responsibility and a right for residents."

Accordingly, he proposed conducting a comprehensive survey of temporary walkways, securing safe routes for vulnerable pedestrians without detours, expanding nighttime lighting, and deploying guides, while calling for the immediate implementation of safety measures.

In particular, to improve the safety and efficiency of the walking environment as experienced by residents, he emphasized the need to expand diagonal crosswalks in key areas with high foot traffic, such as Sangmu Friday Market, and called for proactive administrative efforts.

In fact, after intersection improvements in Chipyeong-dong, the average pedestrian delay time decreased by 13%, and the number of vehicle-pedestrian conflicts dropped by 32%. According to statistics, traffic accidents decreased by 63.5%, and casualties were reduced by 59.8%.

Meanwhile, Assemblyman Lim also proposed introducing a "Focused Management Zone System" to address the issue of illegally placed objects in commercial areas, promoting a merchants' association self-maintenance program, transitioning to an integrated walkway improvement project that includes drainage and surface level enhancements, and expanding the installation of heated benches at bus stops. He called for meticulous administration so that residents can experience a warm Seo-gu through the realization of a comfortable walking environment.

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