Pedestrian and patrol car routes separated near Dangsan Station Exit 11; dedicated dispatch lane and protective barriers installed to eliminate blind spots in pedestrian safety
Yeongdeungpo-gu said it has completed a pedestrian environment improvement project outside the Dangsan Police Unit to enhance pedestrian safety and support faster police response to emergency scenes.
The Dangsan Police Unit is located near Exit 11 of Dangsan Station, one of the area's busiest pedestrian corridors. The sidewalk between the subway entrance and the unit's parking lot measured just 2.9 meters wide, causing patrol cars and pedestrians to share the same path and raising persistent safety concerns.
The narrow passage also hampered the smooth entry and exit of patrol vehicles, making it difficult to respond quickly to emergency calls.
To address these problems, the district built a cooperative framework involving six internal departments — including the Street Landscape Division, Traffic Administration Division and Roads Division — alongside the Yeongdeungpo Police Station.
The project focused on separating pedestrian and vehicle routes. A new parking space for patrol cars was created to keep their movement paths apart from pedestrians, and street fixtures that had obstructed dispatch — including a public telephone booth and a Seoul Bike rack — were relocated or removed.
In addition, the district expedited road occupancy permits to establish a dedicated dispatch lane for patrol vehicles, and installed protective barriers in the pedestrian zone to secure a safe walking path.
With the work complete, residents can now walk along the footpath more safely, while patrol cars can reach emergency scenes more quickly via the dedicated dispatch lane.
A completion ceremony was held Thursday, attended by about 50 people including Yeongdeungpo-gu District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon, Yeongdeungpo Police Station Chief Yeo Jin-yong, city and district lawmakers, and local residents. The event included a project progress report, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a facility walkthrough.
"The risk of contact accidents between pedestrians and vehicles has been eliminated, and at the same time the conditions for 112 emergency dispatch have been greatly improved," District Mayor Choi said. "I hope residents will be able to enjoy greater comfort in their daily lives through the newly created safe walkway."
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