Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Plans to Install Safety Railings Next Year
After a series of jumping incidents on Incheon Bridge, drum barrels have been reinstalled. The drum barrels, which had previously been placed on the shoulder, were removed three months ago to secure parking and stopping space.
The Incheon Bridge operating company announced on the 18th that it reinstalled approximately 600 plastic drum barrels last month along a 3-kilometer stretch of the shoulder in both directions near the main tower. In November 2022, 1,500 drum barrels were installed on Incheon Bridge as a measure to prevent jumping incidents. However, due to the need to secure shoulder space for vehicle parking and stopping during emergencies such as traffic accidents, all the barrels were removed in August following discussions with relevant agencies.
A month after the removal, in September, an accident occurred on Incheon Bridge in which three people fell into the sea and died, and one person went missing. This incident reignited the need for anti-jumping facilities.
A representative from the Incheon Bridge operating company said, "We have temporarily reinstalled the drum barrels in consultation with related agencies." The company has also strengthened preventive measures, such as stationing patrol cars every 10 minutes in the main tower section during high-risk hours.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to install safety railings on the anti-fall facilities by next year as a fundamental measure. The facilities are being considered for installation at a height of 2.5 meters along a 7 to 8-kilometer stretch in both directions around the main tower area of Incheon Bridge, with the installation cost estimated at around 8 billion KRW.
Since Incheon Bridge opened in 2009, a total of 90 people have jumped, resulting in 67 deaths, 14 missing persons, and 9 survivors.
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