Seoul’s Wolgok-ro in Seongbuk-gu recorded the slowest average traffic speed last December, dropping to 15.6 km/h and topping the list among the city’s 79 arterial roads.
Key Factors Behind the Congestion
City officials analyze road operations, construction activities, and weekday taxi card data from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to determine these speeds. Wolgok-ro spans 0.94 km from Seongbuk-gu to Sadaebu Bridge. High traffic volumes at intersections along the inner circulation route and northern arterial road contribute to backups, exacerbated by school zones after its upgrade to arterial status.
Top Congested Arterial Roads
- Wolgok-ro (Seongbuk-gu): 15.6 km/h
- Cheonggyecheon-ro (Gwanghwamun Cheonggye Square to Sindapcho Elementary School): 16.0 km/h
- Bongeunsa-ro (Jongno Joint Welfare Center Samsung-dong to Gyobo Insurance intersection): 17.2 km/h
- Seosomun-ro: 18.0 km/h
- Teheran-ro: 18.4 km/h
Urban Highways and Citywide Trends
Among Seoul’s 10 urban highways, the northern circumferential road posted the lowest daily average speed at 40.3 km/h. Citywide, the average speed across all roads reached 22.2 km/h, an increase of 0.5 km/h from prior periods. No major events occurred, though a heavy snow advisory issued on December 4 likely influenced conditions.
