The Wirye Line tram, the first to be introduced in Korea, will undergo a police traffic safety review to determine whether there are any safety issues for pedestrians and cars during operation. To do this, the tram tracks in the Songpa-gu section of Seoul and the Seongnam section will be designated as a "district road" and a "city road," respectively, and a traffic facility safety diagnosis will be conducted before proceeding with the traffic safety review.
The Metropolitan Transport Commission of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 27th that it convened a conflict mediation committee and approved a conflict mediation plan related to the Wirye Line tram construction project containing these details. This follows the Seoul Metropolitan Government's position that, ahead of the tram's opening, a traffic safety review under the Road Traffic Act must be conducted, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's view that a review cannot be conducted before the road is in place.
An official at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, "Because this is the first tram to be introduced in Korea, there are aspects that need to be adjusted during the project," adding, "Now that the conflict has been resolved, we expect both to ensure safety and to pick up the project's pace."
Under the mediation, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will designate the Wirye Line tram tracks within Seoul as a "district road," and Gyeonggi Province and Seongnam will designate the tram tracks in the Seongnam section as a "city road." After that, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will conduct a traffic facility safety diagnosis, prepare safety measures, and request a traffic safety review from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
A traffic facility safety diagnosis is a process that investigates potential accident factors before a traffic facility opens and prepares improvement measures. Once this process is completed, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will review the safety of sections where the tram tracks intersect with pedestrians and cars. The specific review schedule has not been finalized.
Kim Yong-seok, chair of the Metropolitan Transport Commission at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), said, "As the Wirye Line tram is the first tram to be introduced in Korea, it must be carefully reviewed to sufficiently ensure improved transportation convenience for residents of Wirye New Town and road traffic safety," adding, "We will actively support the smooth promotion of the Wirye Line project in cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency."