Regional Plan Association works toward a better future for the tri-state region.
ROW Social System

Case Studies: Re-Envisioning the Right-of-Way

New York City can use our 32,000 acres of roadway to prevent flooding and adapt to climate change, support transportation alternatives and better goods movement, and expand access to economic opportunity. Examples from around the world can show us how.
ROW Natural System

Re-Envisioning the Right-of-Way

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Cheonggyecheon Stream Restoration: Jun GU, Seoul, South Korea

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The Cheonggyecheon restoration project was centered on revitalizing the Cheonggyecheon Stream that had been covered for decades by a highway overpass. The city of Seoul used its own resources to bring new life to the downtown by enhancing the urban environment. The restoration of the Cheonggyecheon Stream led to the revitalization of central Seoul, unleashing the potential for green public space.

Street Design Objectives

  • Flood protection
  • Provide space for plantings, trees, and other landscapes for aesthetic and ecosystem services, i.e. biodiversity
  • Accommodate movement of cars, trucks, and bikes through separated mobility lanes
  • Address air pollution
  • Address heat island concerns
  • Continue to support mixed-use, commercial activities

Street Design Geometries

  • Street widths is 164’
  • From 10 lanes to 4 lanes of traffic
  • Separated bike lanes within green / planted canal buffers
  • Shared mixed traffic lanes

Street Design Program

  • Removal of elevated highway
  • Daylight historic stream - canal restoration
  • Extensive new open spaces, including green infrastructure
  • Bridges to reconnect areas across street
  • Accommodate car sharing, truck deliveries, and unloading / loading

Street Design Materials

  • Site / park-like furniture
  • Daylighted canal
  • Concrete / asphalt sidewalks and streets
  • Trees, plantings, soil,

Costs: 345 Million Dollars; funding by Seoul Metropolitan Government

Political, City, Agency Leadership

  • Central Government, Seoul Municipality, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Cultural Heritage Administration, Cheonggyecheon Research Group, Citizen’s Committee for Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project, Seoul Development Institute urban design team, Dongmyung Eng, Daelim E&C
  • Close to 4,000 meetings were held with residents. A ​“Wall of Hope” program was developed to encourage involvement and resulted in 20,000 participants

Monitoring Successes

  • The project contributed to a 15.1% increase in bus ridership and 3.3% increase in subway ridership between 2003 and 2008.
  • The revitalized street now attracts 64,000 visitors daily.
  • 76% increase in pedestrian activity
  • 4.5% reduction in heat island effect
  • 45% decrease in vehicle volume
  • 10.3T% decrease in air pollution

Comparable NYC Streets

  • Many wide streets in NYC, highways, and truck routes - preferable streets along lower contours of the City and/or streets that have slope to move water.
  • Some Activity Streets that can accommodate deliveries at off-peak times
  • Street with excess cloudbursts and flooding

Strengths of the case study for NYC context

  • Environmental benefits along high-traffic roads, including truck routes
  • Stormwater management
  • Social / community gathering opportunities in the street
  • Diversity in mobility
  • Promotes public transit

Considerations for NYC context

  • People in NYC already have high public ridership - would need to consider how to reduce commercial traffic - congestion pricing, etc.
  • Capital costs - possible PPP opportunities.
  • Maintenance for more enhanced plantings / landscape and canal