Opening of Dongbu Expressway Underground Road from Daechi IC to Yeongdong Bridge, a Site of Frequent Congestion

Conditional Approval by Seoul City Urban Planning Committee on the 1st

[Asia Economy Reporter Im On-yu] To alleviate the chronic congestion on Dongbu Expressway, the Dongbu Expressway Underground Road will be constructed from Daechi IC to the southern end of Yeongdong Bridge.

Seoul City announced on the 2nd that the urban planning facility decision for the Dongbu Expressway Underground Road was conditionally approved at the Urban Planning Committee meeting held on the 1st. The section spans 2.89 km from Daechi IC to the southern end of Yeongdong Bridge.

The Dongbu Expressway Underground Road project involves constructing an underground tunnel to improve traffic conditions on the Dongbu Expressway, where chronic congestion occurs. At this Urban Planning Committee meeting, the decision on the underground road section of the public finance segment (underground Yeongdong-daero), which connects to the private finance segment, was reviewed. Construction is planned to begin in the first half of this year, with the goal of opening simultaneously with the private project in 2028.

A Seoul City official stated, "The opening of the Dongbu Expressway Underground Road is expected to secure the function of a main arterial road directly connecting the northeastern and Gangnam areas, improve road network services between Gangnam and Gangbuk, and contribute to balanced regional development."

At the same Urban Planning Committee meeting, a plan to expand Homeplus within the Myeonmok Retarding Basin in Myeonmok-dong, Jungnang-gu, and install cultural and sports facilities was also conditionally approved. The Myeonmok Retarding Basin was installed in 1976 for flood prevention and has mostly been covered since then, with the upper area used as a public parking lot and a large supermarket.

The cultural and sports facilities will have a total floor area of 8,936㎡ and will be utilized as a public library, youth cultural center, and more. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first half of next year, with completion targeted for the second half of 2025.

A Seoul City official said, "We thoroughly reviewed measures to prevent the degradation of the retarding basin’s function and plans to reinforce the safety of the structures," adding, "The installation of cultural and sports facilities is expected to improve residents’ quality of life."