Suwon Selected as Target Site for Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 'Smart Challenge Solution Expansion Project'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon City announced on the 4th that it has been selected as a target site for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 'Smart Challenge Solution Expansion Project' along with 23 other local governments nationwide.

The 'Smart Challenge Solution Expansion Project' is an initiative to disseminate and distribute excellent smart city solutions (hardware or software solutions that handle issues linked to software packages or applications) across the nation.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will provide seven smart city solutions to the selected local governments, and each local government will choose 2-3 solutions needed to solve urban problems and apply them to the project.

Suwon City was selected for its proposal on the theme of 'Smart City Solutions Plus that add value to citizens' lives (smart bus stops, smart crosswalks, and shared parking)'.

The 'smart bus stop' is a transit stop equipped with smart convenience devices such as heating and cooling facilities, air quality and temperature measurement devices, mobile phone chargers, free Wi-Fi, and bus boarding bells. Voice recognition and guidance systems as well as solar power systems will also be installed.

The 'smart crosswalk' will be equipped with a 'safety zone intrusion voice guidance system,' pedestrian detection sensors, floor guide lights, floor-level pedestrian signals, crosswalk spotlights, and driver speed display electronic signs to enable citizens to safely cross.

'Smart shared parking' involves connecting 'shared parking lots' to the existing integrated parking management system. Parking lots of religious facilities and street parking lots that have signed parking-sharing agreements with Suwon City will be connected to the system.

The Smart Challenge Solution Expansion Project is scheduled to begin in April and be completed by the end of this year.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport gave bonus points (2 points) to local governments that have not previously conducted Ministry projects during this target site selection process. Suwon City, which had carried out the '2019 Smart City Challenge Pilot Project,' did not receive bonus points but still achieved the outcome of being selected as a target site.

An official from Suwon City said, "Suwon City has experience implementing the Smart City Challenge pilot project and is currently conducting a smart urban regeneration project," and added, "The selection as a target site for this smart city solution expansion project has provided a foundation for establishing ourselves as a 'smart city.'" The official further expressed expectations, saying, "Citizens will be able to experience Suwon City transforming into a smart city as they use smart bus stops, smart crosswalks, and smart shared parking."