Seoul will end car traffic on Jamsu Bridge from midnight on 26 October, after this year’s last car-free festival. The aim is to turn it into the first pedestrian-only bridge over the Han River, with completion scheduled for August 2027.
Opened in 1976 as a four-lane road bridge, Jamsu had already given two lanes over to pedestrians and cyclists in 2008. The new project includes 22 viewpoints, among them transparent platforms on two sections so that people can see the river below, and the conversion of the northern underpass into a pedestrian space linking Itaewon, Yongsan Park and the river.
During the works, pedestrians and cyclists will continue to have separate paths, except for a period of about six weeks in 2027. Traffic will be diverted to Banpo Bridge, where bus routes 740 and 405 will also be moved.
Once completed, the bridge is expected to host seasonal festivals, street performances and flea markets. According to Seoul’s head of urban infrastructure, Im Chun-geun, the change marks a new way of seeing the river: a place to enjoy, not just to cross.
