Uijeongbu City Focuses Administrative Efforts on Creating Safe Road Environment

Uijeongbu City (Mayor Ahn Byung-yong) announced that it is concentrating administrative efforts on creating a safe and healthy road environment as a traffic hub in northern Gyeonggi Province, including removing hazards and defects on roads and expanding green spaces.

The city completed paving work in April on a 2.3km section of National Route 43 and a 1.5km section of Chunguii-ro connecting from Topseok Station of the light rail transit to Gonje Bridge, enabling safe operation. The paving maintenance project was based on a pavement condition survey and evaluation conducted in 2016, and the city received 1 billion won in special grants and 450 million won in special adjustment grants from the government and Gyeonggi Province, which also greatly benefited the city's finances.

Additionally, during the road construction process, instead of disposing of waste asphalt concrete, the city signed a business agreement in July 2016 with four recycled asphalt concrete manufacturers in northern Gyeonggi Province for recycling purposes, achieving budget savings of approximately 140 million won.

The city also invested 900 million won in special grants to complete maintenance work in early May on Hadong Bridge, Buyong Bridge, Heungseon Bridge, and Singok Bridge, which required repairs based on precision inspection results from last year. By promptly maintaining poor road surfaces and dangerous bridges caused by cracks and potholes, Uijeongbu City improved road stability and durability.

To ensure safe road use by citizens, the city replaced or installed 982m of lane dividers and 520m of pedestrian protective fencing.

In particular, based on a comprehensive survey and inspection of speed bumps conducted last year, the city is currently repainting 400 non-compliant speed bumps where paint fading has reduced visibility.

Going forward, Uijeongbu City plans to complete paving maintenance work and seismic reinforcement work on Yangju Bridge by the end of June for 4.4km sections including major intersections on Pyeonghwa-ro where permanent deformation has occurred, and sections in front of Jangam Usung Apartment on Dong-il-ro, in front of Baek Hospital on Chudong-ro, in front of Nokyang Huwoman City Phase 1 Complex on Cheyuk-ro, in front of Uijeongbu Technical High School on Ganeung-ro, in front of Nokyang Church on Biuu-ro, and in front of Songsan Jugong Complex Phase 3 on Hyoja-ro.

Out of the total 4.7 billion won in road maintenance budget for 2017, the city is rapidly executing 2 billion won to prioritize improvements to road hazards and defects, focusing on enhancing citizen convenience and safety.

Recently, facing threats from high-concentration pollutants such as yellow dust, fine dust, and pollen in living spaces, Uijeongbu City conducted cleaning operations on road facilities including central dividers. In particular, by mobilizing one vehicle owned by the Facilities Management Corporation and two rented vehicles, the city is actively responding by spraying water on major roads in the city, multi-use facilities, and roads around schools.

The road spraying work is being conducted three times total from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. when vehicle traffic is relatively light, with participation from four major construction sites operated by private contractors including construction sites for Jikdong and Chudong neighborhood parks. The city plans to continue this through the end of June.

Road maintenance efforts focus on removing approximately 10 tons of accumulated soil and household waste that had been neglected in maintenance blind spots such as under bridges and elevated roads, lower central dividers, shoulders, and slopes, while creating a bright and pleasant road environment so that citizens can use healthy roads.

Going forward, Uijeongbu City plans to increase the green area rate through projects creating green spaces in the central parts and safety zones of roads in front of Jangam Usung Apartment on Dong-il-ro and at the Hoguk-ro Sanggeumi intersection.

Additionally, the city plans to progressively improve long-term projects including improving the underpass of Howon Elevated Road, the city's gateway, creating green spaces in traffic islands, expanding green belts on Simin-ro, and improving underpasses such as Line 1 of the metro according to sequential project plans.

Mayor Ahn Byung-yong of Uijeongbu City stated, "I will do my best to ensure that roads, which are closely related to citizens' daily lives, can be used conveniently and safely through optimal maintenance and timely repairs and reinforcement of defects," and added, "I will make multifaceted efforts not only to maintain simple thoroughfares but also to create an even more improved and healthy road environment."