Cheonho Underpass in Gangdong-gu to Disappear

Cheonho Underpass Flattening Construction... 1.2km Section from South End of Cheonho Bridge to Gangdong Station... Central Bus-Only Lane Opening at End of August → Enhanced Traffic Convenience... Resolving Commercial Area Disconnection between Cheonho-dong and Seongnae-dong for Synergy Effect... Revitalizing Old Downtown

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The 'Cheonho Underpass,' which had been a nuisance not only for vehicles but also for pedestrians, is set to disappear.

Gangdong-gu (District Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) announced that with Seoul City commencing the Cheonho Underpass flattening project, it will not only improve traffic convenience for citizens but also reconnect the previously disconnected commercial areas of Cheonho-dong and Seongnae-dong, revitalizing the old downtown area.

The Cheonho Underpass flattening and central bus-only lane installation project is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.

The Cheonho Underpass was installed in 1997 to alleviate traffic congestion, but as time passed and the surrounding environment changed, it failed to perform its intended function and became a major cause of traffic jams. In this section, which has five lanes in one direction, two lanes are occupied by the underpass. The central bus-only lane was interrupted here, causing about 20 bus routes from Seoul and Gyeonggi to be crowded into three lanes. Additionally, vehicles entering and exiting nearby department stores, large marts, and underground public parking lots frequently intertwined, creating bottlenecks.

Due to the underpass, there was no pedestrian crossing directly connecting Cheonho-dong Rodeo Street and Seongnae-dong Food Alley, which was pointed out as a cause of commercial area decline.

The 'Cheonho Underpass Flattening and Central Bus-Only Lane Installation Project,' promoted by Seoul City's Urban Infrastructure Headquarters, involves filling in the Cheonho Underpass to create a surface road and extending the central bus-only lane (BRT) that was interrupted by the underpass. The location covers a 1.2 km section from the southern end of Cheonho Bridge to Gangdong Station (Seongnae-dong El Wedding Hall intersection). The existing nine lanes will be expanded to ten lanes, with one additional lane added. Central bus stops will be installed, one for each direction, with the goal of opening by the end of August.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, "Once the Cheonho Underpass is flattened, traffic flow in the area will improve, and public transportation convenience connecting Cheonho to Hanam will be secured. Furthermore, with the surface-level connection of Cheonho-dong Rodeo Street, Hyundai Department Store, E-Mart, Lotte Cinema, and Seongnae-dong Jjukkumi Alley, we expect to bring vitality to the old downtown area. We will carefully oversee the project to build robust transportation infrastructure befitting the development and changes of Gangdong-gu."

The Cheonho Underpass has been completely closed since the 17th for construction, and to minimize traffic congestion, citizens are urged to use surrounding detour roads such as Gwangjin Bridge and Olympic Bridge or to use public transportation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.