Ulsan is conducting on-site inspections and improvement work on aging bus stops to reduce inconvenience for residents caused by a shortage of heat wave response facilities.
According to the city on the 26th, there are a total of 3,587 bus stops in the region. Of these, 1,868 platforms, or 52.1% of the total, are equipped with rain shelters such as roofs and walls. About 500 of these platforms were found to require improvement due to aging or a lack of amenities.
The distribution rate of heat wave mitigation facilities is also relatively low. Platforms equipped with air curtains account for 18.3% of the total, while smart platforms with cooling systems and automatic doors make up just 2.4%.
The structure of existing shelter-type platforms is also cited as an improvement task. Some platforms adopted translucent roofs to account for winter lighting and warmth, but this has created problems as direct summer sunlight raises internal temperatures.
Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook recently visited bus stops to inspect facility operations. "It is no different from a complete greenhouse," he said. "Running an air conditioner is nothing but a waste of energy if you cannot avoid the sun."
Using its disaster management fund, Ulsan plans to carry out work to block direct sunlight, including attaching insulation film, at more than 500 shelter-type platforms that require priority improvement by the end of this month. The city also plans to improve the public transportation environment for residents during the heat wave period.
