Gyeonggi Province and Gimpo City are enacting emergency disaster measures for Gimpo Gold Line Congestion Relief that include the deployment of chartered buses and demand-response buses (DRT). In the long run, with a targeted congestion of less than 200%, Gyeonggi Province and Gimpo City will pursue comprehensive measures by pushing for the rapid opening of the western metropolitan express rail line (GTX-D line).

Oh Woo-seok, the 2nd Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, and Um Jin-seop, the Deputy Mayor of Gimpo City, announced special measures to ease congestion on the Gimpo Gold Line at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government on April 18.

Vice Governor Oh Woo-seok said, “Three passengers fainted due to breathing difficulties at Gimpo Airport Station on April 11. The congestion rate of the Gimpo Gold Line (the number of people transported compared to the transportation quota) saw an average of 242% and a maximum of 289%. Accordingly, special measures have been prepared… We will reduce congestion rates by actively cooperating with related agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Seoul Metropolitan City and Gimpo City to protect the safety of Gyeonggi Province residents and ensure comfortable commutes to work.”

A number of special measures were devised: emergency measures slated for implementation this year (introduction of chartered buses, early introduction of demand-response buses, limitations on passenger numbers, and extension of exclusive bus lanes); short-term measures slated for implementation in 2024 (expansion of roads between Gimpo-daero and Gaehwa Station); and mid- to long-term measures (introduction of express buses on main line, early confirmation of route extension for Subway Line 5, and opening of a regional express railway in the western region).

First, in consultation with Gimpo City, Gyeonggi Province designated the problem of easing congestion on the Gimpo Gold Line for emergency disaster measures and allocated KRW 3.2 billion in reserve funds to that end (shared by Gyeonggi Province and Gimpo City). According to the Local Finance Act, preliminary expenses can be executed as subsidies only for emergency disaster measures such as COVID-19.

Gyeonggi Province and Gimpo City will first use direct chartered buses on the No. 70 bus route, an alternative to the Gimpo Gold Line, from April 24, reducing the running interval from the current 15 minutes to 5 minutes. During peak rush hour from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., additional chartered buses will be deployed for Geolpo Bukbyeon Station, Sau Station, Pungmu Station, and Gochon Station.

Thirty demand-response buses will also be introduced from July. These buses are expected to reduce subway demand as they can be called, booked, paid, and boarded immediately using a smartphone application (Smart Bus) directly in front of an apartment complex. They will be deployed after a three-month preparation period that includes the issuing of licenses as well as the securing vehicles and drivers. Thebuses will operate sequentially from approximately 10 major apartment complexes in districts such as Gochon, Pungmu, and Sawoo. Consultations will be held with Seoul Metropolitan City for Gimpo Airport Station and Gaehwasan Station.

Starting as early as May, passenger safety will be protected through the deployment of specialized safety personnel at major subway stations on the Gimpo Gold Line and the limitation of passenger numbers at vehicle entry points. Currently, 42 elderly safety assistants oversee passenger movement and transfer guidance at subway stations. As soon as consultations are completed between the Gyeonggi and Seoul emergency response authorities, paramedics will be assigned to major stations to help transfer emergency victims to hospitals within the immediate treatment “golden time.”

By extending the current Sau-dong-Gaehwa Station bus-only lane to Gimpo Airport, bus speed and punctuality will be secured. Through this, the bus operation time from Gochon to Gimpo Airport can be reduced from 21 minutes to 10 minutes.

Stakeholders will participate in a task force organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport at the end of April, working with the Ministry and Seoul Metropolitan City to resolve pending emergency measures and coordinating policy directions for mid- to long-term measures.

Short-term measures will also be undertaken for slated implementation in 2024. A 750-meter-long section of Gimpo-daero to Seoul on the road from Gahwa Station will be expanded from the second lane to the third lane so as to address the narrowing of those lanes past the Gochon Interchange (IC) and the resulting severe traffic congestion. Consultations will take place with Seoul Metropolitan City to expedite the project.

Mid- to long-term measures that require more than two years for implementation have also been prepared. Rapid transit buses will be introduced between Gimpo Hangang-ro and Olympic-daero, which frequently see congested sections during rush hour, and bus-only lanes and “road zippers” (which adjust the number of lanes in accordance with traffic flow) will be installed.

The extension line of Subway Line 5 between Gimpo City and Geomdan New Town will see accelerated confirmation, and the opening of the western metropolitan express railway connecting Gimpo City to the Bucheon Sports Complex will also be expedited. The extension of Subway Line 5 will be fast-tracked by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the exemption of Extension Line 5 from the preliminary feasibility study has been proposed in consideration of the urgency and importance of the issue. Stakeholders are also calling on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to accelerate the preliminary feasibility study of the western metropolitan express railway.

Gyeonggi Province and Gimpo City plan to actively guide residents to demand-response buses and direct charter buses, which will be implemented within this year so as to mitigate demand for the Gimpo Gold Line and significantly ease the subway congestion rate. In addition to the Nuri Communication Network (social media) and GTV buses, online and offline promotions such as apartment elevator ads will be launched at the same time.