Olympic-daero Sincheon Interchange and Gaehwa Lock Still Restricted... Jamsugyo Bridge Closed for 12th Day

On the 9th, as the monsoon rain continued nationwide, the Jamsu Bridge in Seoul was submerged and completely closed. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The heavy rain that had been pouring over Seoul and the northern Gyeonggi region has temporarily subsided, but traffic restrictions continue on some roads within Seoul.

According to the Seoul Traffic Information Center, as of the morning of the 13th, the Olympic-daero Shincheon Interchange towards Gimpo and both directions of the underpass road at the southern end of Banghwa Bridge near Gaehwa Lock Gate are still closed.

Additionally, vehicle traffic is prohibited on sections including Yangpyeong-ro 30-gil from beside the southern end of Seongsan Bridge to Yangpyeong Interchange, the underpass at Shindonga Shopping Center beneath Dongjak Bridge, and Dangsan-ro 52-gil (from the southern end of Dangsan Railway Bridge to Dangsan Underpass).

Jamsu Bridge has also been closed in both directions for 12 consecutive days. Since 5:20 PM on the 2nd, when the Han River water level rose, vehicle traffic has been suspended, setting a record for the longest submersion period. The water level at Jamsu Bridge reached 11.53 meters at 2:30 PM on the 6th but has dropped to about 6.11 meters as of the morning of the 13th. Even if the water level decreases further, road maintenance and restoration work will require time, so it is unlikely that traffic restrictions will be lifted within the day.

Jamsu Bridge is submerged when the Han River water level exceeds 6.5 meters. Seoul city restricts pedestrian traffic when the water level at Jamsu Bridge is above 5.5 meters and vehicle traffic when it exceeds 6.2 meters. The longest previous submersion period of Jamsu Bridge was 8 days, from 8:00 AM on July 2, 1981, to 5:00 AM on July 8.