H (Home Region)
Wonju, where I live, is a city in Gangwon Province that combines urban and rural areas. It has several large urban areas, including the old city center, Innovation City, and Corporate City. As these areas have expanded toward the outskirts of the city, differences in public transportation accessibility have emerged between the old city center and the newer urban areas. For example, my younger sibling commutes from Bangok-dong to Wonju Samyuk High School, but the buses available for this route run infrequently, with intervals of one to two hours. As a result, my sibling has to rely on a car for transportation. This shows that in Wonju, public transportation has not expanded enough to keep up with the growth of residential areas, resulting in long waiting times and travel times.
O (Objective & Observation)
First, I investigated the bus services available for my sibling’s commute from Bangok-dong to Wonju Samyuk High School. I found that Bus No. 100 has a service interval of 180–220 minutes, while Bus No. 30, which my sibling must transfer to afterward, has an interval of 70–90 minutes. If a bus is missed, passengers have to wait a long time for the next one, making it difficult to commute by public transportation. As a result, my sibling ends up using a car instead. To find out whether this problem is limited to this particular commuting route, I will compare Bangok-dong with other areas of Wonju. I will investigate the bus routes, number of services, service intervals, transfer requirements, and actual travel times in each area. I will then map the results to identify differences in public transportation accessibility between areas and examine the reasons behind these differences.
P (Plan)
Based on the results of the investigation, I plan to create a “Public Transportation Accessibility Map of Wonju” showing areas with limited public transportation access and connecting them to major schools and community facilities. The map will show bus routes, service frequencies, service intervals, and sections where transfers are required, making it easy to see which areas have limited access to public transportation. Based on the difficulties identified during the investigation, I will also propose transportation improvements, such as adjusting bus schedules, connecting bus routes, and improving transfer systems. In particular, I will focus on schools and community facilities with high demand for transportation and explore practical ways to make public transportation more convenient, with the goal of creating an environment where people can travel without having to rely on private cars.
E (Evaluation & Evidence)
After implementing the plan, I will actually use the proposed public transportation route from Bangok-dong to Wonju Samyuk High School and measure the waiting time and total travel time, comparing them with the existing method of transportation. I will also gather opinions from students and public transportation users in other areas to determine whether the proposed routes and improvements are practical and helpful for commuting and everyday travel. Through this process, I will identify differences in public transportation accessibility across Wonju and propose transportation improvements that reflect the location and mobility needs of each area. Furthermore, this project could help reduce situations in which people choose to use private cars because public transportation is difficult to access, contributing to a more convenient and sustainable transportation environment in Wonju.
