New bicycle roads to become green transport infrastructure

A group of cyclists ride on a newly-created bicycle path along the Geum River, Gongju, South Chungcheong Province.

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By Lee Hyo-sik

Enthusiastic, avid cyclists as well as beginning bicyclers can celebrate the new paths the four-river restoration project has created.

The government said refurbishing the four main river systems - the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan - will not only secure water resources and improve water quality, but also build "green" transport infrastructures by encouraging more people to enjoy bike riding as a leisure activity.

"Compared with the United States, Japan and other advanced countries, fewer people here use bicycles when going to work or traveling. Koreans rely more on automobiles as a means of transportation. Consequently there are not many places where people can go cycling", an official at the Office of National River Restoration.

He said the river improvement scheme has resulted in an extensive network of bicycle paths across the country and prompted cycling to become more popular among Koreans.

"Green growth is an important global issue and the current administration has been introducing a range of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use energy resources more efficiently. One of them is to promote a bicycle as means of 'green' transportation. Extensive bicycle paths created along the rivers will certainly encourage more people to ride a bike", the official said.

Bicycle paths stretching 1,424 kilometers along the four rivers will soon be completed. When additional bicycle roads connecting the ones along the rivers are completed by the end of November, a 1,692 kilometer-long network will be in service, making it easier for people to commute and travel on a bike.

Additionally, Korail, the state railroad operator, has been operating train services for cyclists since September in rural areas, such as Okcheon in South Chungcheong Province and Miryang in South Gyeongsang Province, through which the major four rivers flow.

The services, which will be offered through November, are designed to help bikers move from one path to another.

Along the way, cyclists will be able to visit a range of traditional festivals hosted by municipal administrations, such as the dried persimmon festival in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Green bicycle path

First, the government plans to complete bicycle lanes along the Gyeongin canal, an 18-kilometer waterway linking the Han River to the Yellow Sea, by the end of October.

The bicycle routes, on both sides of the embankments and measuring a total of 36km, will be located 4 meters higher than the water that will have an average depth of 2.7 meters, and be between five and 10 meters wide.

The canal will be two- or three-level embankments and the bicycle route will be built in the middle.

By the year's end, a 307 kilometer-long bicycle path will be completed along the Han River. People will also soon be able to ride a bike on a 271-kilometer lane built along the Geum River. Bicycle paths extending 248 kilometers and 598 kilometers along the Yeongsan and Nakdong rivers, respectively, will be completed.

When supplementary bike lanes connecting ones built along the rivers are completed, people can travel across the country through cycling.

"When all these bicycle lanes are ready, we will able to travel the entire county by riding a bike. More bicycle paths will be built along local streams extending more than 10,000 kilometers", an official at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.

Train services & festivals for cyclists

Even when all the planned bicycle lanes are completed, it will still be difficult for cyclists to visit every corner of the country by riding a bike. So, in cooperation with the culture ministry, Korail has begun providing train services for bike riders to move from one bike path to another.

The trains are currently operating to connect seven municipalities through which the four rivers flow. They include Iksan, North Jeolla Province, Naju, South Jeolla Province, Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province and Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. The first train service started on Sept. 24 and will last through the end of November.

"When there are no bicycle lanes, people can take a train and move to a point where a new path begins. Our train services combine two forms of green transportation. Tourists who do not bring a bicycle can borrow one from train stations and cycle the bike path built along the rivers", a Korail official said.

Cyclists can also get a chance to take part in a range of local festivals hosted by municipalities for the remainder of the year.

For instance, Naju will host the "Yeongsan River Culture Festival" on Oct. 27 to 31, while the "Bicycle Festival" will take place in Gumi on Oct. 15-30.

"Numerous local festivals will be organized by municipalities by the year's end. It means that on top of riding a bike along the rivers, tourists can watch performances and taste a wide range of local cuisines", the culture ministry official said.