Ulsan's Bangeojin Elementary School gets safer route

200 million won spent to build new sidewalk

The school route near Bangeojin Elementary School on Kkotbawi-ro in Dong-gu, Ulsan, has been upgraded with a new pedestrian walkway and protective fencing. The photos show the route before (left) and after (right) construction. [Ulsan Dong-gu Office]

Ulsan's Dong-gu district has spent 200 million won ($150,000) to create a safer route to Bangeojin Elementary School, separating pedestrian and vehicle traffic along the path.

The school had long raised safety concerns about the route, where the lack of a dedicated sidewalk posed risks to pedestrians.

Using special local allocation tax funds, the district narrowed the existing 6.7-meter roadway to 5 meters, using the 1.7 meters gained to build a 160-meter sidewalk. Protective fencing was also installed to separate pedestrians from vehicle traffic, and the road was repaved and fitted with drainage inlets to address deterioration.

A Dong-gu district official said the project had achieved the dual effect of creating a safe walking environment for students while also rehabilitating an aging road. "We will continue to identify and address hazards within school safety zones," the official added.

cityblue@heraldcorp.com