391 Trees, 3,427 Shrubs, 2,913 Flowering Plants Bring Year-Round Color
Pergolas, Benches, Exercise Gear and Water Fountains Create a Space to Walk and Rest
A 1,235-square-meter space above the tracks of the Gyeongui-Jungang Line is being transformed into a green resting spot where trees and flowers blend together and residents can walk and unwind.
Seodaemun-gu said Wednesday that it began landscaping work on Sept. 2 to add green space, a walking path and rest facilities to the Bukahyeon Happiness Bridge. The bridge is a railway overpass spanning the Gyeongui-Jungang Line near 1012-3 Bukahyeon-dong.
The district will plant 391 trees, 3,427 shrubs and 2,913 flowering plants across the 1,235.4-square-meter site, which measures 42.6 meters long and 29 meters wide. A variety of species will be arranged throughout the area, including Rocky Mountain junipers, crape myrtles, hydrangeas, roses and silver grass. A 238.7-square-meter mat of lily turf and climbing plants will also be added.
A 143-meter walking path will run through the greenery, lined with pergolas, bench seating, exercise equipment and water fountains. Once construction is complete, residents will be able to walk, exercise or simply rest among trees and flowers directly above the railway tracks.
The project sits alongside the Bukahyeon Bridge, a road bridge completed this year. It reconnects the neighborhoods of Chunghyeon-dong and Bukahyeon-dong, which had long been divided by the Gyeongui-Jungang Line tracks. With the connecting road now open, the green space will add a place for residents to walk and linger.
Because the work is being carried out directly above railway facilities, the district coordinated with relevant authorities to ensure safety. It has been in talks with the Korea National Railway and Korea Railroad Corporation since last October to complete the procedures required for construction within a railway protection zone. Last month, the district received conditional approval for the project under railway protection zone regulations.
The project is set to be completed by late October. Once finished, the space above the tracks will become a green area where anyone can pause to enjoy nature and nearby amenities.
"Adding greenery to even a small space in the city can change residents' everyday lives," said Seodaemun-gu District Mayor Park Woon-gi. "We will continue developing the Bukahyeon Happiness Bridge into a place where many people can walk, rest and enjoy nature."
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