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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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 Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 4:03 pm Post subject: Seoul to push forward on 5 new light rail lines |
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Seoul needs to be more pro-active about addressing the pressing transportation problems in the city. This will help.
http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2974493&cloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
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The Seoul city government said they will carry out a plan to create five light rail lines that was initiated in 2007 but subsequently postponed.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Thursday that they will invest 2 trillion won ($1.78 billion) to create five light rail lines: Sillim line connecting Yeouido, western Seoul, and Sangdo-dong, Dongjak
District in southern Seoul; Dongbuk line connecting Seongdong District, northern Seoul and Junggye-dong, Nowon District in northeastern Seoul; Myeonmok line connecting Sinnae-dong, Jungnang District, central Seoul and Cheongryangri, central Seoul; Seobu line connecting Eunpyeong District, northern Seoul and Seoul National University (SNU); Mokdong line connecting Sinwol-dong, Yangpyeong District and Dangsan-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, both in western Seoul.
Other than these five lines, another line connecting Wooi-dong and Sinseol-dong, northern Seoul, that’s been under construction since 2009, will be expanded to Banhak-dong, connecting it with Wooi-dong. The line will be completed by 2014.
In 2007, the city government announced a plan to create six light rail lines, but it was postponed as the lines were predicted not to have enough passengers except the Wooi-Sinseol line.
A plan for creating a circular line Digital Media City in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, which was in the city’s 2007 plan, has been scrapped due to lack of demand.
The city government had said the light rail would have enough demand.
For the Seobu line (Eunpyeong-SNU), for instance, the city government predicted that about 340,000 citizens, including residents in Gwanak District and people nearby will use the line.
It added that the station building will be located on Seoul National University’s campus and the university will support the half of the construction cost.
The light rail project was postponed by Park Won-soon who became Seoul mayor in October 2011.
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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In the long term, this is good news, not just transportation-wise but the environment as well.
In the short term, look for lots of traffic problems in the places where they're building stations. |
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goreality
Joined: 09 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds nice, but they have over expanded, Seoul isn't growing anymore and all these lines are in central areas. Either buses or other lines will feel the pinch and the transit system as a whole won't generate extra revenue.
As soon as the government makes a comment like 'private institution A will pick up half the bill', you know something doesn't add up. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| goreality wrote: |
Sounds nice, but they have over expanded, Seoul isn't growing anymore and all these lines are in central areas. Either buses or other lines will feel the pinch and the transit system as a whole won't generate extra revenue.
As soon as the government makes a comment like 'private institution A will pick up half the bill', you know something doesn't add up. |
That could be as simple as SNU wanted a subway stop for its students that were commuters (and possibly to save face when compared to Yonsei and KU) and the government said, OK, but you're going to have to pay for it.
Maybe they're over-expanding, but as crowded as most of the lines are it doesn't seem like it. If they can create more direct routes and more express routes, I'm all for it. They're going to increase fares either way, so might as well get something out of it. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:55 am Post subject: |
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Public transportation ridership is a fluid number. Each new station gives subway access to more and more people. Creating more lines gives access to that many more people.
Plus, keep in mind that there's constant political pressure to keep adding on because a new station and/or line means progress for an area. It helps local business, restaurants, and shops by creating more through traffic, (people coming through). It cuts down on the number of parked cars, somewhat, and automobile traffic in general.
The problem with building more lines in Seoul is that, as has been pointed out, there's already access to some kind of public transportation everywhere in Seoul. The money would probably be better invested outside of Seoul. But Seoul is the center of political power in Korea so Seoul gets what Seoul wants. Besides, there are some gaps in the lines that could be filled allowing easier traveling through Seoul. |
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