Pyeongtaek Mayor Choi Won-yong's Traffic Innovation... Will '30-Minute Living Zone' Be Possible?
Pyeongtaek City is embarking in full force on creating a '30-Minute Living Zone' to reduce citizens' travel time and resolve transportation disparities between regions. The city announced its public transportation innovation plan to realize the '30-Minute Living Zone' at an executive meeting on the 14th.
The '30-Minute Living Zone' is a system designed to enable citizens to conveniently travel to major destinations needed in daily life within approximately 30 minutes, with the key being to densely connect the city's transportation infrastructure. The announcement presented implementation plans for the public transportation sector, which has high citizen awareness among the 30-minute living zone plans.
The main contents include five strategies: △expanding metropolitan and airport buses △expanding circular village buses △introducing student shuttle buses △creating a Songtan intercity bus waiting facility △strengthening linkages between village buses, Ttok buses, and public taxis.
To reduce the commute burden for citizens traveling between Seoul and major metropolitan areas, the city will expand its metropolitan transportation network. Specifically, the city plans to introduce new metropolitan and airport bus routes as well as Pyeonghwa G bus routes, and reduce congestion during rush hours through increased vehicles on existing routes and expansion of double-decker buses. For this purpose, the city plans to actively consult with the Metropolitan Area Wide Transit Committee and Gyeonggi Province. In fact, Mayor Choi Won-yong met with the chair of the Metropolitan Area Wide Transit Committee in July and directly requested expansion of metropolitan bus routes in the Pyeongtaek area.
The city will also expand community-oriented village buses for citizens' daily mobility. Beginning with the launch of Route 6881 on August 6 (Pyeongtaek Port~Poseung-eup~Hwayangji District~Anjung Terminal), the city plans to enhance public transportation accessibility by expanding routes by region, including the Godeok New City circular route and the Gaejae District~Brain City circular route by 2027.
Student shuttle buses will also be introduced to reduce the commute burden for students. This measure is being promoted following a survey showing that among 4,772 students at six northern high schools, nearly half—2,339 students—expressed a desire to use shuttle buses due to commuting difficulties. The city plans to operate a pilot route connecting Godeok New City and northern high schools starting in November, with plans to expand operations to other areas in the future.
To address user inconveniences following the closure of the former Songtan Terminal in January 2024, a 'Songtan Intercity Bus Waiting Facility' will also be created. The approach involves renting existing terminal commercial spaces to provide waiting areas for boarding and alighting as well as convenient facilities such as restrooms, while also offering smart transportation services including a bus information guide system and unmanned terminals (kiosks).
The city will strengthen linkages between village buses, Ttok buses, and public taxis tailored to regional conditions. Rural areas will supplement mobility using Ttok buses and public taxis, while newly developed areas will prioritize Ttok bus deployment. Additionally, the city plans to organically connect circular buses with existing public transportation routes to reduce transportation gaps by region.
Mayor Choi Won-yong of Pyeongtaek stated, "This public transportation innovation plan goes beyond simply increasing bus routes to achieve a structural reorganization of the transportation system to connect all of Pyeongtaek as a single '30-Minute Living Zone.'" He added, "We will actively reflect citizens' opinions and proceed without delay to reduce the burden of commuting and school travel in daily life and ensure convenient access to public transportation everywhere."