Buses to Run Through Kyonggi University Campus in Suwon

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon city buses will begin entering the Kyonggi University campus (Yeongtong-gu, Suwon), and rest facilities enabling bus parking on unused campus areas will be installed, significantly expanding transportation convenience for residents of North Suwon and the Gwanggyo district.

Suwon City will adjust certain bus routes starting March 16 so that residents of Kyonggi University, Gwanggyo Wellbeing Town, and nearby areas including Jowon-dong, Younghwa-dong, and Yeonmu-dong can more conveniently use public transportation.

Accordingly, a new route linking Hwaseo Station and Suwon Station will be established at the university's main gate (west side, toward Gwanggyo Mountain), while the back gate (east side, toward Gwanggyo Wellbeing Town) will establish a virtuous cycle bus operation system connecting Gwanggyo Station and Sanghyeon Station.

Previously, the area faced repeated requests from residents of old downtown districts including Younghwa-dong, Jowon-dong, and Yeonmu-dong to expand public transportation routes.

Furthermore, there was an urgent need to expand public transportation to meet the demands of students commuting through connections with Suwon Station, Hwaseo Station, Gwanggyo Station, and Gwanggyo Central Station, as well as tourists using Gwanggyo Mountain.

In response, Suwon City conducted five rounds of business consultations with Kyonggi University from February over a year to enable bus entry to the campus, and held 12 meetings with bus transport companies including Suwon Yeokgaek, Namyang Yeokgaek, and Gwanggyo Transportation. Nine routes are being adjusted.

First, routes 16, 16-1, and 32-5, which previously terminated at Yeonmu-dong Bus Station, will be adjusted to run from Kyonggi University Main Gate → Bohun Welfare Town → Jowon Apartments → Jangan-gu Office → Sports Complex → Jeongja Market → Hwaseo Station → Sukji Middle and High Schools → Suwon Station.

Route 35 requires no route adjustment but will be extended to the university's main gate.

Additionally, the existing two routes 400 and 400-2, which previously had Gungpyeong Port as their terminal, will be consolidated into a single route 400, altered to enter toward the university's back gate. Nineteen buses will be deployed on the single route, reducing the interval between buses from the previous 30-70 minutes to 15-20 minutes.

City bus route 400-4 and village bus route 6 will pass through Gwanggyo Station from the university's back gate, and a new route 5-3 will be created, passing through Welington Town Gwanggyo-ro intersection to connect nearby subway stations including Mangpo Station and Sanghyeon Station.

The city announced that through the route adjustments, ten bus routes with 71 buses from Kyonggi University, Gwanggyo Wellbeing Town, and Jangan-gu will operate 405 times daily, enabling convenient public transportation use.

Additionally, two bus stops will be installed at each of the main and back gates of Kyonggi University, increasing convenience for student mobility.

Bus parking spaces will also be secured at both the main and back gates, and rest facilities for bus operators will be installed, with prospects for resolving long-term bus parking issues around Welington Town Opening Park, the previous turnaround point, and violations of basic public order by bus operators.

The city plans to subsequently install electric charging facilities for eco-friendly electric bus operations in the area and prioritize deploying electric buses.

The city explained that this route adjustment and infrastructure construction was accomplished after over a year of consultations among the city, residents, Kyonggi University, and bus companies.

A city official stated, "Through public-private-academic collaboration on public transportation expansion and bus route adjustments, civil complaints that have continuously occurred will be resolved while benefiting bus users," and added, "With a route system connecting the Shinbundang Line including Gwanggyo Station and national railways including Suwon Station, Kyonggi University will become a hub for public transportation use."