Year 2012 In Seoul, Period Of Commuting By Bicycle Will Be Opened
207㎞ Road for Bicycle, Seoul City Revise Traffic Map
Systematic Control, Establishing ‘Bicycle Traffic Project Team’
By J.H.Lee / jhlee@liftasia.com

Seoul city announced the opening of bicycle commuting by 2012. Seoul city announced  ‘Mater plan for vitalizations of bicycle riding’ securing 207㎞ bicycle road connecting center and rim of city by 2012 through 'road diet' method.
This plan having the will power of city mayor of Oh se chun on 'Opeing environmental friend bicycle period'. He sad "We can not cope with environmental problem and traffic problem under situation that car is main commuting method” and added “I will make Seoul as bicycling commuting city”.
Through this master plan, Seoul city raise the sharing of commuting by bicycle from 1.2% now to 4.4% by 2012 and 10% by 2020.
Meanwhile, bicycle is treated as leisure and hobby, and the area is restricted to river side and park so that it is just 1.2% sharing for commuting.
▲Methods for breaking through high oil price period ▲Improving air condition ▲ Suppressing car using to solve traffic problem ▲Solving parking problem ▲Promoting health to reduce social cost, Seoul city explained that riding bicycle can get 5 good and these are same as 574.5 billions KRW.
Seoul city reduce 1 lane of car road, namely as Road-Diet method, to secure 207㎞ bicycle road, and make parallel with car road to secure safety. Now 95% of bicycle road is sharing with pedestrian road so that it block the using bicycle because of safety.
According to the survey conducted by Seoul city for 1,054 Seoulite aged more than 19, 67.8% of them agreed making bicycle road and 32.2% disagreed it.
And on the question of using bicycle if the road will be complete, 90% of response was positive so the need is great.
‘Mater plan for vitalizations of bicycle riding’ include ▲ making safe and comfortable 17 lane with 207㎞ road for bicycle ▲Enforcing connection of bicycle road between city center and river side ▲Build 12 ‘Bicycle town’ by 2012 ▲Build building for bicycle ▲ Traffic cost reduction by reducing parking lots.

'Bicycle Town', two wheel paradise
207㎞ bicycle road have 4 lanes with 70㎞ for 4 main stream for entering city center between Chung-gea↔Chun-ho, City hall↔She heung and 13 lanes for 13 roads connecting north↔south, east↔west so that riders can easily commute even middle and long distance.
Also, river side road will be modified to have 4 m width for running high speed, and install elevator by 2012 in the 19 connecting spots for bicycle to connect branch road so that riders can move everywhere in Seoul with their bicycle.
Heavy traffic but many things to see such as Chung gae cheon, old palace, Dae hak ro, Kwang hwa mun and commercial area will have 7㎞ bicycle road and rental bicycle.
Especially, heavily need for bicycle area such as No-won, Ye-ui-do area will have 12 bicycle town by 2012 for providing comfort to riders. This road will have traffic signal for bicycles, sign and crossway.
On top of these, 16 subway station including Cham-sil, She-heung, Kunkuk univ, Shin-do-rim station which have more than 300 bicycles lots will be equipped with building for bicycle having shower facility and private rocker to exchange subway easily. And 4 subway stations have more than 500 bicycle lots will have total service center for bicycle year by year.
With these, CCTV will be installed for 100 bicycles parking lots nearby subway stations.  Also, Seoul city will give incentive for private facilities such as shopping mall, theatre, multi-purpose building by deducing traffic toll.
On the other hands, Seoul city established 'Bicycle project team' for managing and controlling various policy on bicycle.