[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 8th that it will open the 'Miryang~Ulsan' section of Expressway No. 14 Hamyang-Ulsan Line (145 km) starting at 5 p.m. on the 11th.
The Miryang~Ulsan section connects Miryang City in Gyeongnam and Ulju County in Ulsan, with a total length of 45 km and 4 lanes in both directions. Construction began in 2014 with a total project cost of 2.1436 trillion KRW.
To minimize damage to natural scenery, 77% of the entire length was constructed with tunnels and bridges. The Yeongnam mountainous section passes through Jaeyaksan Tunnel (8 km) and Sinbulsan Tunnel (6.5 km).
Previously, north-south traffic was convenient with the Busan-Daegu Line, Gyeongbu Line, and Busan-Ulsan Line, but east-west travel was inconvenient as National Route 24, crossing the rugged southern Taebaek Mountains, was the only option. The opening of this expressway is expected to greatly improve east-west mobility.
Travel time will be reduced by about 22 minutes, from the existing 49 minutes to 27 minutes, and the travel distance will be shortened by 24.6 km. Accordingly, logistics costs are expected to be reduced by 160.1 billion KRW annually.
Additionally, accessibility to nearby tourist attractions such as Ganjeolgot on the East Coast, Yeongnam Alps, and Baenaegol will improve, which is expected to help revitalize the tourism industry in the Yeongnam region.
The road incorporates cutting-edge digital technologies such as ice accident prevention facilities and tunnel collision prevention systems. To prevent slipping accidents in winter, heating wires were installed at the entrances and exits of Jangdae Tunnel and interchanges.
Anti-icing pavement was applied on Jangdae Bridge, AI automatic brine spraying facilities were installed in shaded areas, and high-performance surface treatment methods were also applied.
To prevent tunnel accidents, entrance lighting that informs traffic conditions inside the tunnel in advance was installed, and six high-power speakers that detect and warn of dangerous situations after entering the tunnel were installed.
More than 250 illuminated signboards and about 1,400 streetlights were installed to ensure visibility during adverse weather conditions such as snow, rain, and fog, and rain-type lane markings were applied to greatly improve visibility during nighttime driving.
Juhyunjong, Director of the Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "Once the road opens, it will greatly contribute to regional economic development by activating exchanges among 8 million residents in Gyeongnam, Ulsan, and Busan," adding, "We will do our best to sequentially open the remaining sections from Hamyang to Changnyeong to Miryang without delay starting in 2023."
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