The West Pyeongtaek JCT to Ansan JCT (about 34 km) section of the Seohaean Expressway, which is the main arterial axis for entering the metropolitan area from the southwestern region, will be expanded from 6 and 8 lanes to 10 lanes.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced today (26th) that the project to expand the Seopyeongtaek JCT to Ansan JCT section has passed the preliminary feasibility study by the Financial Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and has been confirmed today (26th).
This is a project to expand the existing 6 lanes Seopyeongtaek JCT~Bibong IC, 8 lanes Bibong IC ~ Maesong IC, and 6 lanes Maesong IC ~ Ansan IC to 10 lanes, and the total project cost is about KRW 1 trillion.
The Seohaean Expressway, which was opened with 6 lanes in December 1996, was extended to 8 lanes in 2011 due to congestion problems caused by increased traffic volume.
Traffic conditions worsened, with the total vehicle mileage (number of vehicles × total distance used by each vehicle) increasing to the third highest among all highways due to the continuous increase in traffic volume between Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, including commuter vehicles and weekend trips.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reflected the section expansion project in the 'First Expressway Construction Plan' to improve traffic conditions, and started a preliminary investigation in August last year to analyze economic performance and policy feasibility.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explained that when the West Coast Expressway is extended to 10 lanes, mobility will be improved and the inconvenience of road users will be largely resolved.
In addition, the project is expected to generate approximately KRW 2 trillion in economic effects, including employment of approximately 11,000 people and reduced transportation time.
(Photo = provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Yonhap News)