Aesthetics will join function on national roads, says government
One day, according to the government, Korea will have beautiful national highways passing through awe-inspiring scenery and dotted with comfortable rest areas. The Ministry of Construction and Transportation said in an official statement Thursday that it is going to make a departure from the traditional view of roads as being entirely about the ease of transportation and adopt the view that roads should also be "pleasing to the eyes." It said national highways leading to places of historical, cultural, or recreational interest are going to be beautified and made into "scenic highways," with rest areas and vista points that make travelers want to stop and take in the scenery instead of speeding - or crawling - by. Specific proposals include the construction of observatory platforms, larger rest areas, flower- and tree-lined roadways, and the installation of sculptures and other structures that are man-made but "nature-friendly." Flowers and plants used along these scenic highways will mostly be chosen from indigenous plants in the region.National highways (gukdo) fall directly under the ministry's jurisdiction, and unlike the large expressways that connect Seoul and Busan, for example, have lower amounts of traffic. The ministry says it is going to work with local and provincial governments on a similar beautification program for provincial highways (jibangdo), which are under local governmental control. A ministry statement said the United States initiated a similar program in the mid-’90s and that Japan began a similar program last year. "We have long seen these roads as nothing but passageways for movement," said Yun Seong-o of the construction ministry. "In the future, we’re going to make roadways that people look forward to traveling along." Unlike inter-city expressways, "national highways are going to be improved so that you want to stop your car and get out and look around or take a hike," Yun said.
