Yang Jeong-hee, Michuhol District Councillor: “Lowering the Curb of the Sidewalk is Directly Related to the Mobility Rights of Vulnerable Pedestrians... We Must Secure the Budget at All Costs”

It has been revealed that the budget for sidewalk maintenance in Incheon Michuhol District is at a level that struggles to even handle complaints, raising concerns that aggressive budget acquisition for the safety of vulnerable pedestrians is urgent.

On the 29th, Yang Jeong-hee, a councillor from the People Power Party representing Ju-an 1-4, 7, and 8, pointed out the limitations of the sidewalk maintenance budget during the 293rd temporary session of the Welfare and Construction Committee and continued to ask pointed questions regarding key issues such as the maintenance of vacant houses in the Ju-an-dong area and park compensation.

Regarding the 500 million won allocated for the maintenance of pedestrian facilities this year, Councillor Yang expressed concern, saying, “It costs over 2 billion won for overall maintenance, so can 500 million won handle complaints?” When a district official responded, “The budget will be used primarily for handling complaints, and the shortfall will be secured through special grants,” Councillor Yang emphasized, “We need to accelerate the curb lowering project to ensure that wheelchair and stroller users do not face inconveniences, going beyond simple maintenance.”

In particular, Councillor Yang pointed out the sidewalks in the Ju-an 8-dong area after a site inspection, stating, “The height difference between private driveways and public sidewalks poses a significant risk of pedestrian accidents,” and urged, “Ensure that residents' opinions are fully reflected from the design stage and complete the leveling work promptly.”

Regarding park management, she called for “detailed administration” reflecting the characteristics of areas with a high elderly population. Councillor Yang mentioned the heated seats that seniors enjoy in winter, saying, “When it rains or snows, if the seats get wet, it causes significant inconvenience,” and suggested, “We need to implement measures such as installing roofs (pergolas) to prevent rain and snow from hitting, ensuring the mobility rights and convenience of the elderly.”

There was also a sharp inspection regarding the parking lot creation project in the area densely populated with vacant houses in Ju-an 4-dong. Councillor Yang questioned, “The land compensation procedure is scheduled for March, but isn’t there a high possibility that the project will be delayed due to the owners being unreachable?”

When the district office responded, “If we cannot contact them, we will use the deposit system to keep the project on track,” Councillor Yang strongly urged, “Since there may be complaints that the land compensation price is lower than the appraised value, manage the expropriation re-evaluation process closely to ensure that there are no delays in the completion schedule set for December 2026.”