The Walkable City
Morning came, and just as I expected, an emergency meeting was convened immediately.
Naturally, people were filing inquiries about the downtown roads being thrown into chaos.
I took my time organizing my thoughts. The road widening issue was growing exactly as anticipated. Merchants were threatening to hold a press conference and stage a rally in front of the mayor's office.
Their logic—that if the old district's roads weren't widened, the commercial district would die—had a familiar ring to it.
In my previous life, I had watched this exact scenario play out countless times. They would pour enormous budgets into road widening on the belief that it would revitalize commerce, and the results were always devastating.
Car-centric cities pushed pedestrians to the margins, and rather than injecting vitality into the streets, they only deepened the commercial decline.
On the other hand, examples of successful car-free streets and pedestrian-centered urban planning existed all over the world. I understood that difference better than anyone.
Kang Seol-heon delivered an urgent briefing.
"Mayor, the local news is covering this as a major issue. Public sentiment is spreading fast. There's a strong possibility the city council will start applying pressure as well."
I nodded while skimming through the materials.
"This isn't a simple civil complaint. It could very well escalate into a political problem."
Vice Mayor Jin Mu-gyeol sighed and spoke carefully.
"Mayor, what were you thinking, stirring up something like this? I know it's already been set in motion, but a head-on confrontation could be dangerous. If the merchants take a hard line, the city council will likely side with them. If that happens, not only will the road widening be blocked, but pushing forward with other policies will become difficult as well."
They must all have been stunned. Early in a term, an elected mayor is supposed to tread carefully and move slowly.
Making a mess of things this early was almost unthinkable. But I was impatient. When there was something I could do right now, rather than tiptoeing around everyone's sensibilities, crashing straight through was what I needed to be doing.
I offered a faint smile and asked.
"Is road widening really necessary?"
The truth was, I already knew the answer. But I couldn't just come out and say it. With planning, what mattered was guiding the other person to arrive at the conclusion on their own.
Urban Planning Division Head Cho Yeon-woo spoke up cautiously.
"Mayor, there is no research indicating that road widening genuinely contributes to commercial revitalization. On the contrary, there are numerous cases showing that pedestrian-focused streets increase foot traffic and stimulate the local economy."
He's starting to tune into my frequency after our last conversation. That's a good sign.
That's what he was saying, but in reality, Director Cho was probably in a state of quiet panic. The residents' protests had gone straight to the head of the department responsible for the mess, and he had come within a hair's breadth of being grabbed by the collar.
I nodded.
"So what you're saying is that the key isn't widening the road, but creating a space where people can walk and linger."
Cho Yeon-woo spoke again, carefully.
"That's correct. More cars don't mean more customers. A city built for vehicular convenience inconveniences pedestrians and keeps people from staying. Conversely, when you create car-free streets and pedestrian-friendly spaces, people naturally gather, and the commercial district has no choice but to come back to life."
Kang Seol-heon organized her documents and spoke.
"But it will be difficult to convince the merchants of this right away. Until now, they've lived by the simple formula that road widening equals increased sales. If we try to overturn that overnight, the backlash will only intensify."
I smiled quietly and said,
"Which means what we need to do is show them directly why the car-free street works."
The atmosphere in the meeting room shifted. I already knew the outcome, but what mattered was guiding everyone present to arrive naturally at the same conclusion. From this point on, the real challenge was how to win over the merchants.
I organized the documents and reviewed the content one more time.
"Good. We'll shelve the road widening and instead prepare an alternative for commercial revitalization."
I already had the answer. The car-free street would ultimately succeed.
The question was making the merchants believe in it and come along. No matter how good a policy was, it meant nothing if the people affected didn't accept it.
I quickly requested that several measures be drawn up.
When the fire was already at their feet, civil servants could respond with surprising speed. Problems were erupting around them in real time, so they had to do something.
Part of it was fear of the mayor, but they also knew that with street merchants already flooding in to protest, they would be in trouble too if they couldn't offer some kind of answer.
And so the proposals came pouring out.
First, instead of widening the road, convert the existing street into a permanent pedestrian-only zone.
Vehicular traffic would be completely prohibited, with goods delivery permitted only during early morning hours (for example, 4 to 6 a.m.) in cooperation with the merchants' association. Designated logistics unloading zones would be established at key points so merchants could use them efficiently when needed.
Second, replace the existing asphalt with pedestrian-friendly paving materials to create a comfortable walking environment.
Street trees, benches, lighting, and rest areas would be expanded to increase the time people spent on the street.
Covered rest areas and terrace spaces would be created so people could linger regardless of the weather. Street vendors and food trucks would be allowed in the central road space to extend visitor dwell time and link directly to commercial revitalization.
Third, provide merchants with an initial adjustment period and pay subsidies for a set period after the car-free street's implementation to minimize their losses.
Joint marketing campaigns would be launched in partnership with local merchants, along with promotional activities to attract new foot traffic.
Additionally, a youth startup support program utilizing vacant second- and third-floor commercial spaces would inject fresh energy into the district.
Regular cultural events, street performances, and flea markets would be brought in to develop the area beyond a simple commercial strip into a true cultural street.
Planning and Budget Division Head Noh Chae-eun scanned the materials and spoke.
"This could work as a realistic alternative. There will be pushback from merchants during the transition from vehicle-centered to pedestrian-centered, but if we build in a grace period for essential logistics and pair it with commercial support measures, we should be able to convince them."
She's tuning into my code now too. A city hall really does take after its mayor.
I nodded.
It wasn't entirely to my liking, but it was enough to put out the immediate fire.
"Good. But a plan alone doesn't get us there. The question is whether the merchants will accept it."
Kang Seol-heon spoke with a cautious expression.
"If we announce that we're creating a pedestrian street instead of widening the road, there will be immediate resistance. Especially if many of their existing customers arrive by car, the concerns could run deep."
I smiled.
"We need to account for that too. Yes, there will be short-term inconvenience, but people ultimately have nowhere else to go. In Yeojin City, this is the only central commercial district. Unless they leave for a neighboring city, they have no choice but to use this street. There's no need to worry."
I organized the documents and added,
"And let's proceed step by step, negotiating the delivery and freight grace periods with the merchants' association."
Kang Seol-heon nodded.
"We should start by bringing in the merchants' association representatives for a formal briefing. They need to see it, hear it, and discuss it directly."
I rose from my seat and said,
"It's time for the real persuasion campaign to begin. The road is already torn up—there's no other way forward now."
Then I turned immediately to Director Cho.
"Could you get me an accurate picture of the current land values along the street and the vacancy status of empty storefronts? Specific parcel numbers would be even better."
I laughed lightly, as if it were nothing, and continued.
"I just want to get a sense of the situation. Bring me the materials as soon as they're ready. It would also be helpful if you could compile an estimate of what the budget would look like if we were to purchase."
A flicker of surprise crossed Director Cho's face, and he asked again.
"Land acquisition is a complicated matter... Are you considering a direct purchase, Mayor?"
I waved my hand dismissively.
"No, just curious. For now, just run the research."
The truth was, I had other plans. If I said anything now, it would only stir up unnecessary commotion, so I intended to reveal my design only after the materials were in hand.
What was about to unfold was already becoming interesting.
"Ah, and about those public architects serving in Gwangseong City—we have some of those, don't we?"
Director Cho answered with mild puzzlement.
"Yes, we do. I don't know the details, but as I understand it, they've designated around twenty public architects who consult on or participate in construction projects related to Gwangseong City."
I stood up and said,
"Along with designing the car-free street, we may have an opportunity to build public architecture as well. Reach out in advance to three or four young architects with fresh, exceptional ideas. This could turn into a very interesting project."
A city of one hundred thousand like Yeojin had almost no architecture professionals, which meant we would inevitably have to bring in capable architects from the surrounding metropolitan area.
Recruiting from Seoul would be ideal, but attracting a renowned architect was never as easy as it sounded. And if we left it to the civil servants, the process would drag on indefinitely.
In major cities, there were many professionals active through the public architect system. Particularly, quite a few had overseas training experience and genuinely thoughtful reasons for caring about how buildings shape communities.
Collaborating with them would allow us to do meaningful work. Moreover, this project would be a valuable career opportunity for them as well, which meant there was a strong likelihood they would commit themselves fully and with genuine dedication.
Director Cho might not yet grasp exactly what I meant by all this, but what we needed right now was someone who would soon be at the center of a very compelling project.
The merchants' grievances grew by the day, and some of them staged protest rallies in front of City Hall.
"Are you telling us to just give up our businesses?"
"Nothing's getting delivered—how are we supposed to run a shop like this?"
Yeojin City maintained its official silence. Meanwhile, as foot traffic increased, cafés and restaurants experienced an unexpected surge in sales. But electronics stores and large furniture retailers, whose customers relied primarily on cars, took a hit.
The day before the scheduled meeting with the mayor, the merchant representatives coordinated their positions.
"We need to press the mayor for clear answers. What does he mean by converting this to a car-free street? Does he actually have a plan or not? He needs to be specific."
"That's right. We're suffering through this right now, and he thinks we're just going to wait it out because he says it'll resolve itself?"
"If we just flat-out oppose everything, will the mayor even listen? We need to demand realistic alternatives."
After organizing their individual grievances and demands, the merchant representatives headed for the mayor's office.