A Triumph for Pedestrians

By William Urbanski

In the Chosun University back gate area, there is a street named Jisan-ro that runs from the campus to the entrance of Chosun University Girls’ High School. The street is roughly five hundred meters long and is bordered by a large wall on its east side and numerous coffee shops, convenience stores, print shops, and the like on its west. Over the years, this street had become a de facto parking lot for drivers that could either not find or refused to use the massive parking lot located fifty meters away. In what can only be described as a complete triumph for the students and other pedestrians who need to walk down the road on a daily basis, the street has recently undergone a complete transformation and is now one of the most beautiful, unique, and walkable streets in the entire city.

Background

The road is basically two lanes wide and for years and years lacked any sort of sidewalk, which was problematic for the many university, high school, and middle school students who make use of it. In addition to making the entire street look and feel like an industrial wasteland, the cars that parked along the east wall posed an enormous safety hazard to the students who were forced to walk around and between them, all the while dodging motorbikes and cars that whizzed by on the narrow strip of road that was left. Even delivery vans servicing the businesses along the street had no choice but to stop on said narrow strip of street, resulting in more or less complete blockage of the area. 

As far back as I can tell, there’s never been any sort of parking regulation taking place on the street. Since there was no parking enforcement, it’s understandable that over time people starting leaving their vehicles there all day. It’s safe to say that the street was in fact always meant to be used as a thoroughfare though, because it’s just not wide enough to be a two-way street, parking lot, and a pedestrian walkway all at once.

Signs of Progress

Starting in the early months of 2022, there were signs that a major transformation was taking place. The large wall on the east side was repainted and covered with beautiful, colorful murals. The police box on the south end (whose purpose I’ve yet to determine, as it had nothing to do with making sure cars weren’t clogging up the street) was removed. Most significantly, huge “No Parking” banners were hung along the wall and large planters were placed along the entire length of the street about two meters from the wall. These effectively blocked cars from parking against the wall and also created a safe walking path for pedestrians. As an added bonus, the planters made the whole area look aesthetically more pleasing. Cars were still allowed to pass along the street, and yes, there were still people who parked horizontally beside the planters, but overall, the street was much better and safer. 

After a few months, much to my chagrin, the planters were removed and replaced with tall and narrow orange cones bolted into the ground that were summarily ignored by most motorists. Over time, there were a few other configurations of planters and cones, but what became abundantly clear was that a well-considered redesign was taking shape. Then, in June of 2022, there were two significant developments. First of all, the street began to be used for pop-up markets. Second, the road itself was repaved and beautifully etched so that the ground looked like intricate brickwork. 

Finally, this past July, the planters were reinstalled and the ground received fresh coats of paint and, just like that, what was once a deathtrap hellscape became, in my opinion, one of the most picturesque streets in the entire city. Sure, there are still people who willfully disobey the hard-to-miss “No Parking” banners that run along the entire street, but as a whole, it’s impossible for cars to park along the east wall. What this shows is that where the honor system fails, defensive architecture prevails. 

People First

It’s difficult to overemphasize just how much foot traffic Jisan-ro receives. Especially during the semester, the street is just as busy as the downtown area on weekends. By redeveloping the area, the city is sending a strong and clear message that the wellbeing and safety of pedestrians (and especially students) is a priority. It also rejuvenates the area, transforming the act of walking down the street from what was once a harrowing nightmare into an enjoyable stroll. 

Sure, there are some “losers” in this situation; namely the people who lost the privilege of jamming up the street with their cars (free of charge, by the way). But the fact of the matter is that people who want to park in the area have always had a choice to either leave their cars in the free parking lot nearby (that can accommodate well over 100 cars) or pay two thousand won per hour to park on the campus directly adjacent. All in all, I think this is a clear-cut case where changes have been made for the greater good, as the convenience of about twenty-five drivers doesn’t outweigh the safety of hundreds.

Other districts of Gwangju would do well to take careful note of the superb changes that have taken place at the Chosun back gate area. Hopefully, other problematic and congested streets in the city will also undergo similar redesigns over the coming months and years.

The Author

William Urbanski is the managing editor of the Gwangju News. He has a keen eye for parking spots and strong opinions about parking regulations. Instagram: @will_il_gatto