Provincial News Seoullo 7017, overpass-turned-park, to open in May
Pictured is the Seoul Road 7017 in front of Seoul Station, an overpass that is receiving the final touches for its opening set for May 20, 2017. / Yonhap
By Park Si-soo
Seoul will have its first elevated, wooded public park in May. Modeled after New York’s iconic High Line, the park, Seoullo 7017, is in the final stage of construction, with its opening day set for May 20.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Tuesday described the urban sky park as a place where “nature and humans can live side by side.”
“(The launch of Seoullo 7017) will not only restore the overpass but become a catalyst for the revival and regeneration of neighboring regions through the high number of visitors,” Park said.
The pedestrian-friendly park will stretch for about a kilometer and link seven surrounding areas, including Seoul Station and Namdaemun Market, to 12 pedestrian walkways. It will feature over 24,085 plants representing 228 species of trees, shrubs and flowers found in and outside Korea.
The project began four years ago to use an old overpass that once served as a major road connecting western and central Seoul. Public calls for its removal had mounted after a safety assessment classified the outdated structure as dangerous in 2006.
The “70” in the name refers to the year 1970 when the Seoul Station flyover was constructed, while “17” is a reference to the number of walkways connected to it and the year 2017, when its construction will be completed.
With safety as a top priority, about 40 percent of the 59 billion won ($52 million) of construction cost was put into securing the earthquake-proof structure, the city said.
A total of 29 surveillance cameras will be installed around the park to enhance security.
/ Yonhap