Reducing Detours, Enhancing Pedestrian Safety... Seoul to Expand Downtown Crosswalks

Additional Crosswalks to be Added at Nine Locations, Including Gocheok Sky Dome and Mugyo-dong
Diagonal Crosswalks to Be Established; Box-Shaped Crossing Networks Also Upgraded
Average Walking Distance Reduced by 5.6 Meters, Fewer Vehicle-to-Pedestrian Accidents

Seoul City will expand the number of crosswalks in the downtown area to reduce inconvenience for pedestrians. The key objective is to shorten walking routes so pedestrians can reach their desired destinations in a single signal phase.

According to Seoul City on July 21, nine sites have been designated for crosswalk expansion this year. The targeted locations are: the intersection at Dongyang Mirae University in front of Gocheok Sky Dome; Mugyo-dong intersection near Cheonggye Plaza; the Guro Digital Complex High-End intersection; Nowon Station intersection; and the Grand Mart intersection in Gangseo-gu, among others, totaling nine locations.

Expected installation view of the intersection in front of Dongyang Mirae University at Gocheok Sky Dome. Seoul City

Diagonal crosswalks that allow pedestrians to move in their desired direction with a single signal will be newly installed at five locations, while the remaining four will be upgraded from “ㄷ-shaped” detour walking lines to “ㅁ-shaped” crossing networks. The city plans to complete all nine projects within the year to create a safe and convenient pedestrian environment that citizens can immediately benefit from.

The convenience and safety benefits of diagonal crosswalks have been confirmed by objective statistics. According to the "Analysis of the Effects of Expanding Diagonal Crosswalks in Seoul" published last year, the average travel distance for citizens decreased by 5.6 meters after diagonal crosswalks were installed, and vehicle-to-pedestrian traffic accidents decreased by 27.3%. Notably, pedestrian accidents occurring during right and left turns by vehicles entering intersections fell by 44.8%, confirming improvements not only in pedestrian convenience but also in overall traffic safety.

Diagonal crosswalks will be newly established at five intersections with high pedestrian traffic. A representative site is the “Dongyang Mirae University intersection” in front of Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu. This area typically sees heavy student foot traffic, and after baseball games or large events, crowds of spectators flood the area, resulting in repeated crossing delays and sidewalk congestion. The city plans to install a diagonal crosswalk at the Dongyang Mirae University intersection so pedestrians can move in the shortest possible route without waiting through multiple signal cycles. This is also expected to help disperse large crowds that gather on sidewalks and near crosswalks after events conclude.

Pedestrian flow will also be improved by expanding diagonal crosswalks at four additional locations: both the south and north sides of Mojangyo near Cheonggye Plaza, the Guro Digital Complex High-End intersection, and the Geoyeolife Apartment intersection in Songpa-gu. These are areas with high floating populations during lunch hours or after work.

At four intersections with high public transportation transfer demand, disconnected crosswalks will be newly connected to reduce the inconvenience of detour walking. For example, at the Nowon Station intersection and the Grand Mart intersection near Balsan Station in Gangseo-gu, the city will connect currently disconnected crosswalk segments for the large number of subway users. In addition, efforts to expand crosswalks will be promoted in the Cheonggye 6-ga intersection near Dongdaemun Station and in the area around Geumho Middle School (formerly Geumho Girls’ Middle School) to improve mobility for citizens and students.

Yeo Jangkwon, policy chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Transportation Bureau, stated, “The inconvenience of having to walk a few extra steps or wait for an additional signal at intersections is a daily burden for citizens. Reducing such small inconveniences, one by one, is the starting point for improving quality of life. We will proactively identify and resolve inconveniences on site so pedestrians can take the shortest and safest route, and we will build a dense pedestrian environment worthy of a city devoted to enhancing citizens’ quality of life.”

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