Gyeongbu Line Bus-Only Lane Extended from 'Yangjae~Osan' to 'Yangjae~Anseong'
Weekend Yeongdong Line Bus-Only Lane from Singal JCT to Hobeop JCT Abolished
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 28th that it will adjust and implement the bus-only lane sections on the Gyeongbu Expressway and Yeongdong Expressway starting next month.
Highway Bus-Only Lane Section Adjustment Plan. [Image provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport]
The Gyeongbu Line bus-only lane, currently operating on weekdays from Yangjae Interchange to Osan Interchange (39.7km), will be extended from Yangjae Interchange to near Anseong Interchange (58.1km) starting from the 3rd of next month. However, on Saturdays and public holidays, the Gyeongbu Line bus-only lane will remain unchanged from Yangjae Interchange to Sintanjin Interchange (134.1km). Due to the increase in bus usage for commuting in the southern metropolitan area, the need to extend the weekday Gyeongbu Line bus-only lane had been raised.
The Yeongdong Line bus-only lane, operating on Saturdays and public holidays from Singal Junction to Hobeop Junction, will be abolished starting from the 1st of next month. This is due to continuous complaints about the bus-only lane on the Yeongdong Line during weekends caused by congestion in general lanes.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has completed revisions to the "Expressway Bus-Only Lane Enforcement Notice (National Police Agency)," lane repainting, and sign maintenance to extend the weekday Gyeongbu Line and abolish the weekend Yeongdong Line bus-only lanes. This decision was made after analyzing bus traffic volume and gathering opinions from stakeholders including the bus industry.
The Ministry has been informing expressway users about these lane adjustments and implementation dates through expressway electronic signboards, rest area banners, and traffic broadcasts on TV and radio since early this month. They plan to continue providing guidance even after the lane adjustments take effect.
Joo Jong-wan, Director of the Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "This adjustment of expressway bus-only lanes will help improve commuting on the Gyeongbu Line in the southern metropolitan area and enhance overall convenience for expressway users by expanding general lanes on the Yeongdong Line. We will continue to analyze the effectiveness of bus-only lanes with related agencies and seek reasonable operational plans that align with the purpose of revitalizing public transportation."
Meanwhile, according to the National Police Agency, enforcement against violations of the bus-only lanes will have a three-month grace period starting from the 1st of next month.
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