NHRC recommends Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan City
to improve accessibility to the facilities at Cheonggyecheon Stream
The National Human Rights Commission recommended the Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan City to improve Cheonggyecheon structures so that people with physical disabilities, the elderly, children, those accompanying children, and pregnant women (hereafter「people with disabilities and others」) can safely access Cheonggyecheon guaranteeing their rights to movement.
As the City confirmed its official position, Cheonggyecheon restoration is not only a matter of the City itself, but also of the Nation as a whole carrying a historical significance in the beginning of the 21st century. Through the restoration, Seoul will become a more environmentally-friendly and human-centered urban space, modeling a new paradigm of city management for the 21st century and enhancing its image in the world. In that respect, the stream should be a space without discrimination that restricts「the disabled and others」whose mobility is limited.
Cheonggyecheon, now under construction, is divided into three zones running a total length of 5.8 kilo meters. In between the stream and the surrounding retailers, there are streets and sidewalks on each side of the stream. One can see the stream from the sidewalk. The stream is connected to the sidewalk by ramps and staircases. To go down from the road to the pathway along with the stream, one has to use the ramp or staircases. Along the stream, there is a main path and a lower path. There is also a bridge called ‘Sewol-gyo’ for people with disabilities and others to use to cross the stream, as well as stepping stones for non-disabled to use. There is another set of stepping stones across the tributary where Jungreungcheon and Cheonggyecheon meet together.
Recognizing such facilities are unsafe or insufficient for access and movement by people with disabilities, NHRC had conducted four rounds of field trips to the stream since August 1, 2005, held a seminar attended by Disabled Peoples’ International, Federation for the Right to Movement of the Disabled, Yangcheon Center for Independent Living, Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, Civil Solidarity for Making Cities Walking Friendly, officials of City Hall (headquarters for Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project), and landscape architects and experts to review the related documents.
As a result, many problems were pointed out that included: access to the stream from the outside; narrow sidewalks along the stream; connections between the ramps and sidewalks; installation of signboards; bridges without handrails; ground unevenness that does not allow people with disabilities and others to move easily; a lack of safety measures to prevent falling; dangerous staircases; restrooms and other conveniences; steep staircases and stepping stones; bumps in the sidewalk, collision preventing posts; uneven ground materials; protrusions and dangerous ramps on the sidewalk; and facilities to guide the visually impaired. Among them, some problems would be dealt with throughout the construction period while others cannot be solved due to the limitations of the structure of the stream. In considering of this, NHRC decided to take issues with the following four problems.
First, looking at the sidewalks along the stream, one can see the width of the sidewalk is 1.5 meters, but actually only 60~70 centimeters on the some parts of the sidewalk can be utilized due to the roadside trees that are planted. Therefore, it makes it difficult to maneuver a wheelchair or baby stroller (See pictures 1,2, and 3) and thereby restricts the right to movement. Furthermore, the reduced width violates Article 2 of the Regulation on the Promotion and Guarantee of Convenience for the Disabled, the Elderly and the Pregnant, etc., stating that「the valid width of the sidewalk should span more than 1.2 meters」and「building obstacles to walk shall not impede the movement people with disabilities and others」.
Secondly, at a place where ground materials change, the stonework was built higher creating a ledge (See picture 4). The natural stone-made sidewalk built under the bridge is severely uneven (see picture 4-2). Also, at a point where the sidewalk and road meets, there are unnecessary stone posts that have been placed. All of them restrict the right to movement.
Thirdly, at the ramp where the first construction zone starts, there are gaps in the structure and no safety measures such as railing (see pictures 6 and 7). In the same zone, the bridge’s railing is placed to low thereby not properly functioning as a safety measure ( see pictures 8 and 9). The upper passage that connects the sidewalk along the stream is not equipped with safety precautions despite its height (see pictures 10 and 11). Therefore, the access and movement of people with disabilities and others are restricted.
Fourthly, the sidewalk that connects the ramp located between Gosanja bridge and Sindap railway bridge in the third zone is only equipped with stepping stones in both the upper stream and the opposite side. Hence the safe access and movement of people with disabilities and others are restricted (see pictures 12. and 13).
NHRC plans to review whether the problematic areas that restrict the disabled and others are improved at the end of the completion of the construction. In addition, NHRC hopes that from the start of public projects, citizen groups including people with disabilities will participate in the planning process so that every single member of society can enjoy public facilities without discrimination in the years to come. –End-
