Full Opening of Cheonho-daero Central Bus-Only Lane (BRT)

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[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) announced that the Cheonho-daero central bus-only lane (BRT), spanning 1.2 km from the south end of Cheonho Bridge to Gangdong Station, was fully opened from 4 a.m. on the 11th.

The district expects that this will not only make public transportation more convenient for citizens but also connect the commercial areas of Cheonho-dong and Seongnae-dong, revitalizing the old downtown area.

The Cheonho underpass, long considered a major cause of traffic congestion, was transformed into a surface road following the completion of the "Cheonho Underpass Flattening and Central Bus Lane Connection Project" implemented by Seoul City since April this year.

Additionally, the previously disconnected BRT section at the Cheonho underpass has been linked, completing an approximately 21 km bus route from downtown Seoul through Cheonho to Hanam.

With this construction, the number of lanes was expanded from 9 to 10, adding one lane, and one central bus stop was installed in each direction.

As a result, the bottleneck that had worsened due to the process of about 20 Seoul and Gyeonggi bus routes passing through the underpass section changing lanes from the central to curbside stops?interacting with vehicles entering and exiting nearby department stores, large marts, and underground public parking lots?is expected to be resolved.

The BRT opening is also good news for pedestrians and surrounding commercial areas. A crosswalk has been created that allows direct crossing between Cheonho-dong Rodeo Street and Seongnae-dong Food Alley, which had been blocked by the underpass, helping to alleviate commercial area stagnation caused by regional disconnection and is expected to revitalize the economy.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, "Thanks to the residents' patience during the construction period, the Cheonho-daero central bus-only lane could be opened. Through this BRT connection, traffic flow will become smoother, and the convenience for residents using public transportation during the congested commute will improve. In particular, the flat-level connection of Cheonho-dong Rodeo Street, Hyundai Department Store, E-Mart, Lotte Cinema, and Seongnae-dong Jjukkumi Alley is an important achievement that will revive the old downtown area. We will do our best to build transportation infrastructure and revitalize the local economy befitting Gangdong-gu, a city progressing toward a population of 550,000," he stated.

With the BRT opening, the locations of bus stops by route have changed, and some traffic systems have been altered, so verification is necessary. Most buses stop at the central stops, but routes turning right from Gangdong-gu Office toward Gangdong Station stop at curbside stops. To reduce the inconvenience of general vehicles taking long detours due to the BRT installation, U-turns at Cheonho Intersection and in front of the former El Wedding Hall are maintained as before.

Also, a new curbside stop has been established at Exit 1 of Cheonho Station (in front of Cheonho Stationery Street), making it easier for residents of Cheonho 2-dong to use buses heading toward the city center.

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