Godeok New Town's Planned Population Up Nearly 20,000, but Road Plans Cut 13 Years Ago Remain Unchanged

Pyeongtaek City Holds Public-Private-Government Meeting on Godeok New Town
Grade-Separated Interchanges Cut from Three to One... "Traffic Hell" During the Morning Commute
Mayor Choi Wonyong: "Reconsider Road Plans from the Ground Up"
LH: "Analyze 12 Intersections and Develop Measures"

In Godeok International New Town in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, the planned population has grown by nearly 20,000 from the original estimate. But the road infrastructure remains based on plans scaled back 13 years ago on the grounds that the population would decline, raising concerns that this mismatch is causing severe traffic congestion during rush hours.

At the second meeting of the Godeok Internationalization Planning District Public-Private-Public Sector Consultative Council, held in the Urban Policy Conference Room at Pyeongtaek City Hall on the 10th, officials from Pyeongtaek City and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), along with resident representatives from Godeok 1-dong and Godeok 2-dong, discuss reviewing road plans for Godeok International New Town and ways to ease rush-hour congestion and parking shortages. Provided by Pyeongtaek City.

Pyeongtaek Mayor Choi Wonyong told the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), "Please reconsider the existing plans from the ground up, taking full account of the increased population and future traffic demand, and come up with effective measures."

Pyeongtaek City said on November 12 that it had held the second meeting of the Godeok International Planning District Public-Private-Government Consultative Body on November 10 to discuss rush-hour traffic congestion and a shortage of parking spaces. About 30 people attended, including LH officials and resident representatives from Godeok 1-dong and Godeok 2-dong.

The key issue raised by Pyeongtaek City was a "malformed road network resulting from inaccurate population forecasts." When LH amended the second development plan in 2013, it forecast that the planned population would fall by about 9,493 from the previous plan and substantially cut key transportation infrastructure. The number of grade-separated interchanges was reduced from three to one, while the number of central arterial road routes was cut from two to one.

But events took the opposite course. Under the 20th amendment to the development plan, approved last month, the planned population of Godeok New Town increased by 19,148, or 14.1%, compared with the original plan. The number of households also surged by 14,431, or 26.6%. As the population grew, so did the number of cars, but the roads were left as designed under the earlier, scaled-back plan.

At the meeting, Pyeongtaek Mayor Choi Wonyong directly criticized the flaws in the development plan, saying, "Road facilities were cut in 2013 on the pretext of a declining population, but after the population surged, no corresponding expansion of facilities was carried out."

He added, "As a city grows, its infrastructure, including roads and parking lots, should grow with it. I urge LH to reconsider the existing road plans from the ground up, reflect the increased population and future traffic demand, and put forward effective measures."

Resident representatives at the meeting also called for swift action, saying, "Major roads are already plagued by chronic congestion and serious parking shortages. Once additional residents begin moving into the new town in earnest, traffic will become hellish."

Pyeongtaek Mayor Choi Wonyong speaks at the second meeting of the Godeok Internationalization Planning District Public-Private-Government Consultative Body, held on the 10th in the Urban Policy Conference Room at Pyeongtaek City Hall. Photo provided by Pyeongtaek City.

LH said it would conduct detailed traffic-volume analyses at 12 major intersections and develop improvement plans. It also said it would comprehensively review available traffic and parking measures, including opening roads in the Phase 3 section ahead of schedule, widening the road north of City Hall, and securing temporary parking lots.

The meeting also addressed broader issues affecting daily life in the new town, including vacant commercial properties and unsold commercial units, inconvenience caused by the lack of a large supermarket, overcrowded classrooms, and the need to expand sports facilities. Pyeongtaek City plans to continue monitoring whether LH and other relevant agencies follow through until the improvement measures agreed on by the consultative body are implemented on the ground.

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