Sang-il Lee, Mayor of Yongin, "Bora Intersection Underpass to be Completed by the End of 2025"

Government Persuaded to Convert Gyeongbu Expressway Overpass to Underground Passage
Construction Resumes After Two and a Half Years...Site Visit and Inspection Conducted

On the 22nd, Lee Sang-il, mayor of Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, visited the site where construction of the 'Local Road No. 315 Underpass' in Bora Intersection, Bora-dong, Giheung-gu, resumed and inspected the progress, the city announced on the 23rd.

This construction involves building an underpass to connect Local Road No. 315, which ends at Bora Intersection in Bora-dong, beyond the Gyeongbu Expressway to Hagal-dong. The total construction section is 1.65 km long, of which the underpass section is 940 m. The project is underway with the goal of opening in 2025.

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin (second from the right), visited the construction site of the underground passage on Local Road 315 on the 22nd to inspect the progress of the work.
[Photo by Yongin City]

Originally, this road was constructed in 2007 as a road passing under the Gyeongbu Expressway based on citizens' opinions, but construction was halted in December 2020. This was due to safety concerns raised because the distance between the two underpasses became too close following the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's plan to underground the Gyeongbu Expressway. At that time, the Ministry instructed to change the connection between the two areas to an elevated road instead of an underpass.

After taking office last year, Mayor Lee actively requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Expressway Corporation, resulting in the resumption of the underpass construction. The city proposed adjusting the longitudinal slope of the underpass entry and exit sections as an alternative, which the Ministry accepted. Accordingly, in June, the city, Korea Expressway Corporation, and Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) signed an agreement to promote the underpass, and after completing related administrative procedures, construction recently resumed.

Mayor Lee said, "Although there have been many twists and turns, I welcome that the construction can proceed in the direction desired by the citizens," and added, "I also express gratitude to the government for accepting the city's alternative and changing the underpass design guidelines."

He also stated, "We will do our best to complete the construction without delay by the scheduled completion date at the end of 2025," and "Once the underpass opens, traffic around the area will become much smoother."