In December 2025, Wolgok-ro in Seongbuk-gu recorded the slowest average vehicle speeds across Seoul’s 79 arterial roads, dropping to 15.6 km/h amid heavy congestion.
Traffic Data Insights
Authorities analyze big data from business taxi operations between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. to track road performance, construction needs, and maintenance priorities. This approach pinpoints average speeds during peak hours.
Details on Wolgok-ro Congestion
The 0.94 km stretch of Wolgok-ro from Wolgok Entrance to Seoul National University of Education Affiliated High School links directly to the Inner Circular Road and Northern Arterial Road. High traffic volumes and frequent backups around Wolgok Station interchange contribute to persistent delays.
Other Top Congested Arterial Roads
Cheonggyecheon-ro ranked second, with speeds averaging 16.0 km/h along the route from Gwanghwamun Cheonggye Plaza to Sindap Elementary School.
Bongeunsa-ro took third place at 17.2 km/h, spanning from Jamsil Comprehensive Sports Complex intersection to Kyobo Tower intersection.
Seosomun-ro followed at 18.0 km/h, while Teheran-ro clocked 18.4 km/h.
Urban Expressway Performance
Among Seoul’s 10 urban expressways, the Northern Arterial Expressway posted the lowest average speed of 40.3 km/h.
Citywide Trends
Seoul’s overall road average speed fell to 22.2 km/h, down 0.5 km/h from the prior year. No major downtown events occurred, but a heavy snow advisory on December 4 significantly impacted travel times.
