Seoul Dongbu Expressway and Olympic-daero Yeoui Upstream and Downstream IC Controlled... Commuting Congestion Expected (Update)

On the 10th, when the major section controls of Gangbyeonbuk-ro and Olympic-daero were lifted, traffic flow on Gangbyeonbuk-ro viewed from the north end of Seogang Bridge in Mapo-gu, Seoul, was proceeding smoothly. Photo by Jang Jin-hyeong aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Heavy rain is pouring mainly in Seoul and the metropolitan area, causing road closures in many places and raising concerns about traffic congestion during the morning commute.

According to the Seoul Traffic Information Center, as of 7 a.m. on the 11th, traffic control is in effect on all entrance ramps on the Dongbu Expressway toward Seongsu JC from Surak, and toward Uijeongbu from Seongsu JC to Surak Underpass. This measure was taken because the water level at Wolgye 1 Bridge on Jungnangcheon River in northern Seoul and Gyeonggi Province exceeded the vehicle control level of 15.83 meters as of 5 a.m. due to continuous heavy rain.

The Yeoui upstream and downstream interchanges on Olympic-daero are also closed, so vehicles intending to use this section must take detours. A Seoul city official explained, "Since the water level of Hangang Bridge exceeded the control standard of 4.4 meters, the entrance ramp at Yeoui downstream interchange is also being closed following the closure of the Yeoui upstream interchange."

Additionally, the Jamsugyo Bridge, which has had restricted traffic since the 2nd and 3rd of this month, and the southern end of Banghwa Bridge at Gaehwa Yukgapmun are still closed. Both directions of Dangsan Underpass and Yangpyeong Interchange are also fully closed. Traffic on the Gimpo-bound direction of Sincheon Interchange has been restricted since the morning of the previous day.

Currently, the water level at Jamsugyo Bridge is about 7.2 meters. It had been decreasing until the previous night but started rising again around midnight. In particular, heavy rain is falling in northern Gyeonggi and northern Yeongseo regions, which are directly connected to the Hangang water level, so the water level may rise further.