The entire 29.4 km stretch of Gangbyeon-buk-ro is set to be brightened with LED lighting. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that, following work carried out in 2016–2017, it will complete the replacement of 1,035 streetlights with LED lighting along the Gayang–Yanghwa Bridge section and the Seongsu–Gwangjin Bridge section of Gangbyeon-buk-ro by November of this year.

This year, the city will replace a total of 7,220 streetlights with LED lighting, including those on Gangbyeon-buk-ro as well as at 13 road facilities such as the Namsan No. 1 Tunnel and various bridges, and along the Hyoja-ro section in Jongno-gu. A total of 18.8 billion won will be invested. Next year, the city plans to carry out replacements on a phased basis across 10 urban expressway routes, including Olympic-daero.

First, Gangbyeon-buk-ro, which carries heavy traffic, will have its entire length (Gayang Bridge–Gwangjin Bridge) converted to LED lighting by the end of November this year. In addition, 2,351 aged streetlights installed along roadways and pedestrian paths on 26 routes covering 57.8 km, including Hyoja-ro in Jongno-gu, will also be replaced with LEDs.

At the Namsan No. 1 Tunnel, sodium lamps will be fully replaced with LEDs, including on the downbound side. A dimming system that allows brightness to be adjusted will be introduced, making it possible to automatically adjust the brightness of the lighting inside the tunnel according to the brightness of the tunnel's surroundings.

By adjusting the brightness inside the tunnel according to the external brightness, drivers approaching the tunnel can more easily perceive conditions inside it and secure sufficient visibility, reducing eye strain as they pass through the tunnel and thereby aiding safe driving.

In addition, aged lighting will be replaced with LEDs at 13 locations in total, including part of the upbound Hongjimun Tunnel, the Samcheong Tunnel, the downbound Sajik Tunnel, the upbound Dongmangbong Tunnel, the Jeungsan, Hagye, Gunja, Toegye-ro and Yeoui Bridge underpasses, and the streetlights on the Banpo Bridge, Jamsil Railway Bridge and Hwarang Overpass. The Sajik Tunnel, opened in 1967, is the oldest tunnel, and having undergone LED replacement since 2015, its three bores will be completed by the end of November this year.

The landscape lighting of Yanghwa Bridge will also be fully renovated and newly illuminated in September this year. The nighttime landscape lighting to be lit this time is on an arch structure installed in February 2013 that had remained unlit; with its aged metal lamps replaced by LEDs, it will be illuminated starting this autumn.

Yanghwa Bridge connects Hapjeong-dong in Mapo-gu with Yangpyeong-dong in Yeongdeungpo-gu and was completed in January 1965. As the Yeouido ferry dock is located nearby and lies on the cruise route of Han River sightseeing boats, the city expects that the beautiful night scenery of the Han River can be showcased to even more citizens and tourists.

The city is also pushing ahead with a full upgrade to install landscape lighting on Olympic Bridge using LEDs capable of dynamic displays. This year, detailed design will first be completed, with construction to begin next year.

The electricity cost that can be saved by replacing the lighting of road facilities and streetlights on city and provincial roads with LEDs this year amounts to 300 million won per year, and the energy saved is 3,213 MWh. This is equivalent to the amount of electricity that about 11,000 households (averaging 304 kWh per household per month) could use for one month.

In addition, sodium lighting has a lifespan of 12,000 hours (1.36 years), while LED lighting has a lifespan of about 50,000 hours (5.7 years), reducing the amount of waste generated. This is expected to protect the environment and cut the frequency of maintenance by about 25%, which in turn reduces exhaust fumes caused by traffic delays, thereby improving air quality and reducing inconvenience to citizens.

Ko In-seok, head of Seoul's Safety Management Headquarters, said, "By replacing road lighting facilities with LEDs, we expect to help drivers secure visibility and reduce eye strain, aiding safe driving, and we will continue to expand eco-friendly LED lighting on Seoul's roads going forward."