Preliminary Feasibility Study Approved and Selected
for Major Expressway Construction and Expansion Projects
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on August 20 that, at the Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee meeting, the Yongin-Gwacheon Underground Expressway new construction project and the Changwon-Jinyeong Expressway expansion project were selected as subjects for preliminary feasibility studies. The Geoje-Tongyeong Expressway construction project and the National Route 15 Goheung-Bongrae expansion project have passed the preliminary feasibility study.
The Yongin-Gwacheon Underground Expressway on the Yeongdong Line is a project to construct a new four-lane expressway connecting the Yongin, Suwon, and Gwacheon sections. The total length is 30.0 km, including a 21.1 km underground tunnel. For the Yongin-Suwon section, an underground expressway will be built beneath the existing expressway to resolve chronic traffic congestion on the upper part of the Yeongdong Expressway.
Overview and Location Map of the Yongin-Gwacheon Underground Expressway New Construction Project. Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
The Suwon-Gwacheon section aims to construct a new north-south expressway in connection with the Isu-Gwacheon road currently being promoted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, with the goal of reducing travel time from the southern part of the Seoul metropolitan area toward Gwacheon and Seoul. The estimated project cost, based on the preliminary feasibility study application, is 2.7576 trillion won.
The Namhae Expressway Changwon-Jinyeong expansion project will widen the 4.8 km section from Changwon Junction (JCT) to Dongchangwon IC from the current eight lanes to ten lanes. This section has a daily traffic volume exceeding 120,000 vehicles, resulting in a service level of grade D, and the need for expansion has been consistently raised. The estimated project cost is 121.8 billion won.
The Geoje-Tongyeong Expressway construction project, which passed the preliminary feasibility study, will build a new four-lane expressway over a 20.9 km section from Sangmundong in Geoje City to Yongnam-myeon in Tongyeong City, South Gyeongsang Province. The National Route 15 Goheung-Bongrae expansion project will widen the 31.7 km section from Goheung-eup to Bongrae-myeon in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province, from two lanes to four lanes.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated, "We expect these projects to play an important role in resolving chronic traffic congestion on expressways in the Seoul metropolitan area and major regional cities, as well as in connecting regions that have been underserved by expressways, thereby contributing to balanced regional development."
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