Ganbyeon Expressway to be lit with LEDs
The Gangbyeon Expressway between Yangwha and Seogang bridges is lit with LED lamps. / Courtesy of the Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Jung Da-min
Seoul Metropolitan Government will complete installing light-emitting diode (LED) lamps on the entire stretch of the Gangbyeon Expressway by November.
This is part of Seoul's plan to replace some 7,000 street lights' old sodium bulbs with more energy-efficient LEDs on 16 roads across the city at a cost of 18.8 billion won ($17.6 million).
The LED replacement on the 29.4-kilometer expressway running on the north bank of the Han River started in 2016, and the installation for the two sections between the Gayang and Yangwha bridges, and between the Seongsu and Gwangjin bridges _ a distance of 11.7 kilometers _ is currently underway.
“The LED lights are expected to help improve visibility for drivers and reduce eye fatigue,” said Ko In-seok, the head of the city government's safety control department.
Along with the expressway, other roads including Namsan Tunnel No.1 and Sajik Tunnel will also have LED street lights by the end of the year.
According to the city government, this year's LED change will help save 300 million won on street lights annually as well as 3,213 megawatt-hours of electric energy _ the amount of power consumed by 11,000 households per month.
The city also plans to expand the LED project to the Olympic Highway running on the south bank of the Han River and other main roads next year.