Uijeongbu City Sees Traffic Congestion Ease on Sinpyeonghwa-ro After Suspension of Central Bus-Only Lane

Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Dongkeun) announced on November 14 that, after closely monitoring the traffic situation for seven months following the suspension of the central bus-only lane operation, it found that the overall traffic flow in major sections of Sinpyeonghwa-ro has improved.

Uijeongbu City closely monitored the traffic situation for seven months following the suspension of the central bus-only lane operation, and it was found that the traffic flow in major sections of Sinpyeonghwa-ro has generally improved. Photo by Uijeongbu City

When the central bus-only lane was opened in 2018, only 4.4 kilometers out of the total 8.6 kilometers between Minlak 2 District and Dobongsan Station were operated, which led to questions about its effectiveness. Since suspending the operation in April this year, the city has gathered feedback from citizens and experts, and comprehensively analyzed the congestion relief effect by investigating traffic volume by day of the week and by time of day.

According to the analysis, it now takes an average of 16 minutes during weekday morning rush hour and 17 minutes during evening rush hour to travel from the Minlak-dong BRT stop, the most congested point, to Dobongsan Station. This is about 4 minutes (21.5%) shorter than before the suspension. The average travel speed has also improved to about 50 km/h, resulting in a smoother traffic flow in key sections.

To maintain these improvements, the city is implementing follow-up measures such as road resurfacing, upgrading traffic safety facilities, and adjusting signal systems. In particular, a consultative body has been formed with the police and traffic experts to conduct regular on-site inspections and monitoring.

A city official stated, "Since the suspension of the operation, the traffic system has remained stable and citizens' mobility has improved," adding, "We will continue to comprehensively review the traffic environment to create a safe and efficient road use environment."

Mayor Kim Dongkeun said, "Resolving traffic congestion is a key issue directly linked to the quality of life for citizens," and added, "We will do our utmost to create a convenient transportation city that citizens can truly feel, through continuous management and improvement."

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