Jung Junho: "Low-Depth Underground Road Construction to Lift 'Traffic Hell Buk-gu' Stigma"

Gwangju Buk-gu Traffic Issue Resolution 'Buk-gu Daejido' Third Pledge

Expecting Direct and Indirect Effects Such as Congestion Resolution, Awareness Change, and Value Increase

Jeong Junho, the Democratic Party preliminary candidate for Buk-gu (Gap), Gwangju Metropolitan City, announced the construction of a low-depth underground road in Buk-gu Daedo as his third pledge to solve Buk-gu's traffic problems.

On the 30th, Candidate Jeong stated that building a low-depth underground road to alleviate the chronic congestion in the 'Dongmun-daero to Donggwangju IC' section would not only have a direct effect but also an indirect effect by ensuring safety.

Currently, the demand for using the Buk-gu ring road exceeds the capacity of the ring road entrances, causing excessive vehicle congestion at the entrances and exits such as Yongbong IC and Donggwangju IC during commuting hours, resulting in severe traffic jams.

In particular, to enter Donggwangju IC, Munheung IC, and Gakhwa IC, one must use the Dongmun-daero section, which includes Seobang Market and Malbau Market, causing induced traffic demand and chronic traffic congestion due to illegal parking. In fact, the traffic volume in this section was about twice the average daily traffic volume at major traffic points in Gwangju in 2022, and during commuting hours and weekends, it is a notorious chronic congestion zone where it takes more than 30 minutes just to enter the ring road.

As a solution to this situation, Candidate Jeong pointed to the construction of an underground road. The project involves building a six-lane (three lanes each way) underground road approximately 3.5 km long (3.4 km in a straight line) from Seobang Intersection to the entrance intersection of Munheung District. The estimated budget is under 300 billion KRW, based on the fact that it is about one-quarter the scale of the 1.2 trillion KRW Hannam-Yangjae section of the Gyeongbu Expressway underground road project.

Candidate Jeong explained that in Buk-gu, expanding roads and entrances through land acquisition is impractical and ineffective due to safety and environmental issues, making the construction of a low-depth underground road necessary.

If this underground road section is constructed, it is expected to bring ▲a 5-minute travel time from Seobang Intersection to Donggwangju IC, ushering in a 10-minute living zone era in Buk-gu ▲utilization of the road by connecting the Seobang underground shopping area section, which has been abandoned for 25 years ▲simultaneous resolution of market accessibility issues by linking the underground project for Malbau Market entrances and exits ▲use of one lane of the aboveground road from Seobang Intersection to Munheung District entrance intersection as a parking lot, solving parking difficulties ▲transformation into a traffic hub and increase in nearby real estate values. Especially, if the area sheds its notorious chronic traffic congestion reputation, it is expected that the perception of the region will change and its value will rise accordingly.

Candidate Jeong Junho said, “If we solve the traffic hell situation in Buk-gu, Gwangju, and make it a traffic hub, the quality of life for our Buk-gu residents will improve,” adding, “Moreover, we can double the value of Buk-gu.”