Seoul city has set standards for three-dimensional use of roads to develop land that had been hard to use because of roads.
Seoul city said on the 27th that it will implement the "standards for three-dimensional determinations of urban planning facilities." Until now, Seoul city has pushed a three-dimensional and mixed-use policy to combine urban planning facilities such as roads and parks with other facilities.
However, in the case of roads, because public interest and the potential for future expansion must be considered, three-dimensional determinations were applied only in limited cases. Opinions were raised that separate, specific standards are needed because roads must also account for future expandability and the maintenance and management of underground utilities. Demand has also grown recently for three-dimensional use of road space within cities.
The key is to specify consistent planning standards and the scope and scale that consider safety so that the original function of roads is maintained in three-dimensional use and problems do not arise during future maintenance and management. A three-dimensional road designates only certain heights and ranges as an urban planning facility, not the entire space where the road is located. By installing transportation facilities such as roads above private land, while using the space under the road for parking lots and other purposes, the public and private sectors can use a single land together. Seoul city collected feedback from relevant departments and analyzed cases to establish reasonable guidelines, leading to these detailed standards.
The scope of application is limited to cases such as: ▲ when land is divided by a road and the remaining site is too small to be used efficiently ▲ when an additional connecting road between surrounding areas is needed due to large-scale development ▲ when the need to improve the pedestrian environment is recognized.
As for the spatial scale of roads, the entire ground level and at least 3 meters below the surface must be secured, and the city plans to ensure that anyone can check roads determined in three dimensions through documents such as the land use plan confirmation.
Seoul city expects that, with these standards, the private sector can use land efficiently while the public sector can expand an uninterrupted transportation network, increasing the flexibility of urban space.
Kim Chang-gyu, head of the Urban Space Headquarters at Seoul city, said, "This will be a turning point that allows flexible and innovative use of Seoul's urban space beyond simply dividing road space," adding, "We will prevent indiscriminate application and, by presenting reasonable standards, complete the city's safety and maintenance systems to build a sustainable urban environment."