(LEAD) Gwanghwamun Square road partially closed for remodeling project

All News 17:29 March 06, 2021

(ATTN: ADDS 1st photo; REPLACES 3rd photo)

SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- The road lining Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul was partially closed Saturday to begin construction on a major park.

Sejong-daero, which runs up and down the east and west sides of the square, was closed off on the west and expanded on the east to allow traffic to move in both the northbound and southbound directions.

This photo shows Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul on March 6, 2021. (Yonhap)

This image, provided by the Seoul metropolitan government, illustrates Gwanghwamun Square, viewed from the north, after the road to its west is turned into a park. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The adjustment is part of the Seoul metropolitan government's 79.1 billion won (US$71 million) project to build a park with more than 100 species of trees and flowers to the square's west.

"We ask citizens to refrain from traveling by car and use public transportation until road traffic on and around Sejong-daero is stabilized," Hwang Bo-yeon, a city government official, said.

The city government said earlier that a simulation study conducted within a 1.5 kilometer radius of the square showed that with special traffic measures in place, vehicles would be able to travel at an average speed of 21 km per hour, which is similar to the 2019 average of 21.6 kph.

The special measures include improving traffic flow on intersections, optimizing traffic light signal times, increasing subway trains and deploying traffic police.