Yangpyeong Expressway Design Firm: "No External Pressure... Considered Environment and Traffic Volume"

"There was no external pressure. Considering technical factors such as environment and traffic volume, Gangsang-myeon was proposed as the terminal point."

On the 13th, Lee Sang-hwa, Vice President of Donghae Comprehensive Engineering Corporation, who attended the on-site briefing for the 'Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway Alternative Route' held in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "The change in the expressway route was decided after a comprehensive technical review following a site visit."

On the 13th, Lee Sang-hwa, Vice President of Donghae Comprehensive Engineering Corporation, explained related matters at the on-site briefing session for the 'Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway Alternative Route' held in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Donghae Comprehensive Engineering Corporation is a private company that conducted the feasibility study for the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway together with Kyungdong Engineering.

Vice President Lee explained that the reason his company proposed an alternative route terminating at Gangsang-myeon instead of the existing preliminary feasibility study plan was because four factors were considered: ▲ interchange (IC) installation ▲ minimizing environmental damage ▲ appropriateness of the terminal location ▲ and traffic volume.

He said, "The preliminary feasibility plan lacked access facilities on the 15 km section from Namdong IC to Yangpyeong Junction (JCT), making it a road inaccessible from surrounding areas, so improvement was necessary. We judged that it would have a significant environmental impact as it passes through water source protection zones, ecological natural protection areas, and migratory bird habitats."

He continued, "From near Yangpyeong IC on the Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway to the south towards the Gwangju-Wonju Expressway, tunnels and bridges are repeatedly constructed. The currently known terminal point at Gangsang-myeon was found as a feasible construction site," he said.

Additionally, Vice President Lee emphasized, "90% of the traffic accessing the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway comes from the south, such as Yeoju, and we judged that the alternative route is the best to absorb the traffic volume."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport actively addressed suspicions during the briefing. In particular, they firmly denied that the alternative route was reported to the minister in advance. Lee Yong-wook, Director of the Road Bureau at the Ministry, stated, "There are over 100 national road projects, and it is impossible to report every unconfirmed detail one by one. The service process was finalized by the director, and I received all reports," he asserted.