The Seoul Station Overpass, once a driveway passing through the heart of Seoul, is set to transform into a brand-new citizen’s park.



The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the newly renovated overpass will be open to the public on May 20. The structure comes with the new name “Seoullo 7017,” combining the year 1970 when it was first built and 2017 -- when it was remodeled to be a pedestrian-friendly road.



The overpass had been used as a major driveway connecting Mapo-gu, western Seoul, and Jung-gu, central Seoul, for 40 years. However, as it deteriorated in the 1990s, citizens strongly called for its removal. In 2006, a safety assessment classified the outdated overpass as dangerous.



In 2014, the city of Seoul came up with a basic plan to develop the road into a public park. The next year, it announced the “Seoul Station 7017 Project.”





Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon plans to turn the 1.15-kilometer overpass into a rest area and tourist attraction. (Yonhap)