Gangdong-gu (Mayor: Lee Hae-sik) plans to protect the walking rights of the disabled and those who need assistance with walking and execute a ‘safe facility maintenance project for the disabled on sidewalks’ to create a safe sidewalk environment to prevent accidents.

 The main point of this project is to combine sidewalk and guiding paths and install and improve low curbs so that there is no height difference between the roadside, crosswalks and braille blocks on sidewalks.

 Braille blocks on sidewalks and lowered street curbs are essential necessary installments for safe street walking for those who need assistance with walking. The braille blocks will play the role of a compass for the visually impaired, and sidewalk curbs in front of crosswalks are obstacles for wheelchairs and baby carriages.

  Gangdong-gu has improved upon safety facilities for sidewalks each year to provide walking convenience for the elderly, pregnant women, children and those who need assistance with walking, and there were 332 cases of improvements made last year alone.

 By the end of this July, the district plans to improve 172 locations by lowering the height of crosswalk curbs and improving braille blocks in Yangjae-daero, Cheonho-daero and Sangil-ro. There will be annual inspections and improvements made in other sites needing maintenance.

An official of Gangdong-gu stated, “We plan to continually manage sidewalk safety facilities for the disabled and create a safe walking environment so that citizens can feel safe when walking.”

<Related Photos>

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  Before crosswalk improvement

  

  After crosswalk improvement

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