Hwaseong City to Re-Tender Dongtan Tram with Adjusted Construction Costs

Construction Cost Increased from 611.4 Billion Won to 683.4 Billion Won
City to Re-Tender Dongtan Tram Project After Expert Review and Citizen Feedback

Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province will raise the construction cost and re-tender the Dongtan Urban Railway (Dongtan Tram) project, for which the selection of a contractor failed in both April and May.

On the 22nd, Hwaseong City announced, "Regarding some concerns raised about the Dongtan Tram bidding process, we are relaunching the project in a more stable manner after expert review and gathering citizen feedback."

Perspective view of Hwaseong Dongtan Tram. Hwaseong City will increase the construction cost of the Dongtan Tram, which failed twice in bidding, by 11.8% and re-tender it. Provided by Hwaseong City

For this re-tender, the city increased the construction cost by 11.8%, from 611.4 billion won to 683.4 billion won, based on the results of a cost estimation service that reflected factors such as inflation and increased costs.

Previously, on July 25, the city held an advisory meeting with experts and citizen representatives to verify the validity and appropriateness of the construction cost adjustment according to the service results. The advisory meeting concluded that the overall cost adjustment was appropriate, but also noted the need to secure a certain level of flexibility in the bidding conditions to prevent another failed tender.

Regarding concerns that the 43-month construction period may be too short, the city explained that this period was determined as appropriate by the city's Technical Advisory Committee, and stated that it would aim for timely completion through efficient project management without unnecessary extensions.

The city added, "We will establish a phased construction plan based on traffic management and traffic impact analysis during construction, and will ensure both safety and the maintenance of traffic flow throughout the construction process."

Hwaseong Mayor Jung Myung-geun stated, "The Dongtan Tram is not just a transportation facility but a key infrastructure that will improve citizens' daily convenience and transform the local transportation system. We will swiftly complete the re-tender and begin construction on the priority section in the first half of next year."