The Machang Bridge, which crosses Masan Bay, the hometown of the song "My Hometown Southern Sea" and the classic song "Gagopa," has celebrated its 15th anniversary since opening.
Connecting Gapo-dong in Masanhappo-gu and Gwisan-dong in Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, Machang Bridge is a 1.7 km sea bridge officially opened on July 1, 2008. Its name comes from the first syllables of the then-separated cities Masan and Changwon.
As a key transportation facility linking Goseong Dinosaur Museum, Masan Robot Land, Gimhae, and Busan?about an hour's distance?and a landmark of Changwon, an average of 45,000 vehicles use this bridge daily.
During the day, the bridge offers smooth, uninterrupted driving with its long stretch, and at night, it presents a visual spectacle with LED lights in green, blue, yellow, and orange, reflecting the characteristics of the four seasons.
Underneath the bridge, one can see various large and small vessels speeding by, the shimmering sea water, and the sparkling sun glint on the waves. Along the nearby Gwisan coast by Machang Bridge, restaurants, shops, and food trucks line the shoreline.
Machang Bridge Co., Ltd., which manages this area, prioritizes safety above all and operates with goals of customer convenience, energy saving, environmental protection, and sustainable management (ESG).
Together with its major shareholder, Macquarie Korea Infrastructure Investment Company (MKIF), it maintains the road in optimal condition for the convenience of provincial residents and strives to prevent industrial accidents and promote mutual development with the local community.
Road crossing prevention barrier installed at the Machang Bridge tollgate. [Photo by Machang Bridge Co., Ltd.]
Under the slogan "Machang Bridge practicing customer love through the best safety management," high safety railings have been installed on both sides of the bridge to prevent accidents such as extreme choices, and fire extinguishers and various safety signs are placed throughout.
At the toll booth entrance, collision protection facilities to safeguard employees from vehicle accidents, road crossing prevention measures, vehicle speed control devices, and emergency broadcasting systems are installed.
To protect the lives of bridge users and workers and preserve facilities from disasters such as typhoons, heavy rain, and fires, joint disaster response drills are conducted annually with related agencies including police and fire departments.
As a result of prioritizing safety as the top management goal, the company has been recognized as an excellent disaster reduction company by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and as an outstanding company in risk assessment by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.
As a sea bridge, it also engages in energy-saving management and environmental protection to prevent marine pollution and reduce carbon emissions. In June last year, it proactively received ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification from the American certification body ISC Korea, a first among road management agencies.
ISO 50001 is a management system where a company sets management goals to improve energy use efficiency and systematically manages them according to procedures and methods required by international standards to achieve those goals.
Machang Bridge received the Minister of Economy and Finance Award at the 16th National Sustainable Management (ESG) Conference hosted by the Korea Association of Journalists. [Photo by Machang Bridge Co., Ltd.]
In July last year, marking the 14th anniversary of the bridge's opening, it was selected as an excellent company in the 16th National Sustainable Management (ESG) Conference hosted by the Korea Journalists Association and received a commendation from the Minister of Strategy and Finance.
Additionally, it operates advanced road management systems compliant with international standards, including ISO 9001 quality management, ISO 14001 environmental management, and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management systems.
Machang Bridge has set goals to reduce carbon emissions generated from bridge operations by half by 2030 and to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Following a full replacement of lighting used on the bridge and management facilities with high-efficiency LEDs, it plans to achieve these goals through installing solar power facilities, expanding electric vehicle purchases, and purchasing eco-friendly green premium electricity.
Scholarships are being awarded to local students at Machang Bridge. [Photo by Machang Bridge Co., Ltd.]
It also announced it will continue social contribution activities such as regular donations to the Community Chest of Korea since 2017, local scholarship projects, medical expense support, and donations to welfare facilities.
CEO Kim Seong-hwan said, "Machang Bridge, celebrating its 15th anniversary, has opened a convenient and safe path together with customers so far," adding, "We will continue to do our best to serve as a model in managing and operating private toll roads in Korea."
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