Seoul to build bicycle-only road along Cheonggye Stream

SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul city government plans to build a bicycle-only road along Cheonggye Stream that runs through the downtown area next year as part of its effort to promote the eco-friendly means of transportation among citizens and tourists, officials said Monday. The bicycle-only road will be built on a 5.5-kilometer-long section of the stream spanning from Cheonggye Plaza, located near Seoul City Hall, to Gosanja Bridge in Dongdaemun Ward by the end of next year, they said. The total length of the Cheonggye Stream bicycle road will be 11 kilometers, as it will be built on both sides of the stream, they noted. The Cheonggye Stream bicycle road is the first project under Mayor Park Won-soon's bid to construct an extensive network of bicycle-only roads throughout the capital. Park unveiled his vision for the so-called Cycle Rapid Transit (CRT) for Seoul during his visit to Bogota, the capital of Colombia, which boasts one of the world's most extensive networks of car-free roads packed with cyclists, in July. CRT was named after the existing Bus Rapid Transit, a high-quality bus-based transit system. The Cheonggye Stream bicycle road, if completed, will be connected with existing bicycle-only roads along Jungnang Stream that runs through the capital's northeastern areas and the Han River, providing a safer environment for bicycle users commuting to the Jongno and Euljiro areas. To ensure the safety of cyclists, the Cheonggye Stream bicycle road will be separated by a balcony or height difference from the existing roads and sidewalks, city officials explained. Other bicycle-only roads to be built throughout Seoul will also be physically separated from cars and pedestrians and will be built, in some areas, above bus-only lanes or along Han River bridges or other existing urban facilities in tubes or other forms. "Starting with the Cheonggye Stream bicycle road, an extensive network of bicycle-only roads crisscrossing Seoul will be built, enabling both citizens and foreign tourists to fully enjoy bicycle rides and Seoul's people-centered environment," Mayor Park said, adding that bicycle-centered and human-centered traffic is a big vision and movement across the world. ycm@yna.co.kr (END)