PM parking haphazardly in front of International Hall



Diverse transportation options on campus at SeoulTech has increased students’ convenience, but it has also led to various inconveniences and safety issues. The increasing use of personal mobility (PM) devices such as Ddareungi (Seoul Bike) and e-scooters has raised new parking and safety concerns on campus.

Parking Problems of PM

The use of Ddareungi and e-scooters has increased rapidly for various reasons. One reason is that our campus is large (the fifth largest in Seoul), making the walk from Gongneung Station to the main entrance take about 15 minutes. Also, bike and scooter rentals are affordable and easily accessible. Still, there are parking problems during class hours when the number of users increases and the number of dedicated parking spaces on campus remains limited. The problem is especially visible in front of International Hall and Mirae Hall, where Ddareungi and e-scooters can be seen parked haphazardly. The SeoulTech surveyed 50 students and 52% said they had parking problems. This obstructs student traffic and increases the risk of accidents. “In the past, I used e-scooters to get to class on time, but there were no parking spaces, so I had to leave the scooters near the entrance,” said one student. “I nearly fell while walking because a bike was blocking the path,” another student said.

Lack of Bike Lanes

Currently, there are not enough bike lanes on campus for cyclists to ride, so they often have to cross sidewalks and driveways at their own risk. The lack of bike lanes has increased the risk of collisions between PM and students, The lack of bike lanes has increased the risk of collisions between PM and students. “When I was walking on the sidewalk in front of the Sangsang Hall I stopped for a moment and almost got hit by an e-scooter coming from behind,” one student related. “I almost fell while trying to avoid the e-scooter. I wish the sidewalks and bike lanes for PM were separated,” reported another student. There are growing calls for SeoulTech to take action. This situation has been exacerbated by the ongoing construction at the university. For instance, due to the construction of the new library, heavy construction vehicles are moving along narrow campus roads. This increases the risk of pedestrian accidents and temporarily closes existing roads, which restricts student access.

Students are calling for a quick response and action from the university to address these issues. Specifically, they are calling for more parking spaces for shared bikes and e-scooters on campus, as well as bike lanes and safety signs. A longer-term, more systematic approach is needed to ensure safe and convenient movement of students on campus. It will require active communication and policy support through the cooperation of the university, Seoul authorities, and students. The SeoulTech hopes that this will help students enjoy a more comfortable and safe campus life.

Reporter

Myungjae Lee

swk08085@seoultech.ac.kr

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• e-mail : swk08085@seoultech.ac.kr