Elementary Schools’ Sidewalks, Minimum Three Meters Wide

The local government in Gyeonggi-do announced on July 30 that it prepared basic guidelines following the traffic influence evaluation and focused on the expansion of sidewalk and traffic calming measures to promote pedestrian and traffic safety around the elementary schools and residential areas.

According to the guidelines, a building site for development, which is subject to traffic evaluation, should equip sidewalks and bike lanes, supposedly with no disconnection between them, for the continuation of pedestrians and bike users’ passage. It also suggests that elementary schools should have frontal sidewalks over five meters wide and at least three meters wide for the rest of the sidewalks adjacent to the school for the safety of the children.

Also, the local government will introduce “traffic calming” measures to reduce vehicle speeds in apartment complexes and residential areas, and will suggest making sidewalks near the residential streets to secure safe and pleasant conditions for pedestrians.

It also established a fundamental parking rule of “one house, one parking spot” to secure a fire engine truck’s smooth passage to residential areas.

The local government will promote these guidelines when a large-scale development, which is subject to traffic influence evaluation, takes off.

An official involved in the new policy said, "These new guidelines are meaningful as they create safe and pleasant spaces for pedestrians by altering the vehicle-centered ones."

Kyung-Hyun Nam bibulus@donga.com