National Arterial Road Network Changes After 30 Years... 10 Axes Each for North-South and East-West

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Finalizes the 2nd National Road Network Comprehensive Plan

The national arterial road network, which will serve as the foundation for road construction over the next decade, will be reorganized around 10 north-south axes and 10 east-west axes. This is the first major revision in over 30 years since 1992. Additionally, radial axes connecting surrounding cities directly to the central areas will be added to the existing circular road networks of the five major metropolitan areas.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 16th that it has finalized the 2nd National Road Network Comprehensive Plan (2021?2030) after review by the Road Policy Deliberation Committee, incorporating these changes.

This plan is the highest-level statutory plan in the road sector, formulated every ten years under the Road Act. The Ministry explained that it "presents tasks for the next decade centered on four values: economic re-leap, inclusion, safety, and innovative growth."

In particular, the plan includes a reorganization of the national arterial road network system, which serves as the standard for road network construction.

Since 1992, the national arterial road network has operated as a grid composed of 7 north-south axes and 9 east-west axes, along with 6 circular networks in metropolitan areas (7×9 + 6R).

Through the 2nd National Road Network Comprehensive Plan, this system has been reorganized for the first time in over 30 years into 10 north-south axes, 10 east-west axes, and 6 radial circular networks (10×10 + 6R²).

The grid network covering the entire country has been reorganized into 10 north-south and 10 east-west axes to provide more convenient access to arterial roads. This addresses the large 73 km gap between the ‘Jungbu Line’ and the ‘Jungbu Inland Line,’ which is more than twice the average spacing of 30 km in the national arterial network.

To disperse traffic volume on the north-south axes, a new north-south 6-axis route was introduced on the Yeoncheon?Seoul (Gangil IC)?Jincheon?Yeongdong?Hapcheon section by adding the Jincheon?Hapcheon segment. Additionally, long-distance routes currently functioning as arterial roads (Pyeongtaek?Buyeo?Iksan, Seoul?Sejong, Seoul?Chuncheon) have been reclassified from branch lines (auxiliary routes) to arterial axes.

Furthermore, considering the transportation demand of metropolitan living areas, radial axes connecting surrounding cities directly to the central areas have been introduced to the existing circular road networks of the five major metropolitan areas, developing them into six radial circular networks (6R²).

Specifically, the Boryeong?Buyeo axis, Boeun axis, Taean axis in the Daejeon?Chungcheong area, the Hwasun axis in the Gwangju?Honam area, and the Seongju axis in the Daegu?Gyeongbuk area have been incorporated as radial axes, enabling future consideration of road network expansion in response to changes in traffic conditions.

In addition, to establish a people-centered road environment, the plan includes building a public transportation transfer system that closely connects various mobility options, expanding contactless services for rest area use and toll payments. It also defines the role of roads as platforms for future mobility and new transportation services such as autonomous vehicles and Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and includes the full-scale introduction of various smart technologies into actual road construction sites.

The Ministry plans to officially announce the 2nd National Road Network Comprehensive Plan within this month and will gradually release subordinate plans such as construction and management plans aligned with the policy directions of the comprehensive plan.

Lee Yoon-sang, Director of the Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "Based on the newly reorganized arterial road network, we will enable all citizens to access arterial roads within 30 minutes and use roads conveniently without congestion."