Yang Jeong-hee, Michuhol District Council Member: "Lowering the Curb Blocks is Directly Related to the Mobility Rights of Vulnerable Pedestrians... We Must Secure the Budget at All Costs"

As it has been revealed that the budget for pedestrian path maintenance in Incheon Michuhol District is barely sufficient for handling civil complaints, there are urgent calls for aggressive budget acquisition to ensure the safety of vulnerable pedestrians.

On the 29th, Yang Jeong-hee, a council member 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 and park compensation in the Ju-an-dong area.

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

In particular, Yang pointed out the pedestrian paths 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" that reflects the characteristics of areas with a high elderly population. Yang mentioned the heated seats favored by seniors in winter, saying, "When it rains or snows, the seats get wet, causing significant inconvenience for users," and suggested, "We need to implement measures such as installing roofs (pavilions) to prevent rain and snow from hitting the heaters, 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. Yang questioned, "The land compensation process 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," Yang strongly urged, "Since there may be complaints that the land compensation price is lower than the appraised value, closely manage the expropriation re-evaluation process to ensure that there are no delays in the completion schedule set for December 2026."