Traffic jams on the way back home on expressways... Expected to clear around 9-10 PM

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] On the afternoon of the last day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the 14th, nationwide highways are experiencing congestion in some sections due to the influx of returning vehicles.

According to Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 4 p.m. that day, the Seoul-bound lanes of the Gyeongbu Expressway are experiencing stop-and-go traffic over a total distance of 30 km, including the Cheongju Junction to Oksan, near Mokcheon to Cheonan Junction, and near Yangjae to Banpo sections. The Busan-bound lanes are congested over a total of 13 km, including Hannam to Seocho and Singil Junction to Suwon sections.

The Seoul-bound lanes of the Seohaean Expressway are moving slowly over a total of 21 km near Dangjin to Seohaedaegyo Bridge. Traffic is smooth in the Mokpo direction. On the Capital Region 1st Circular Expressway (formerly Seoul Outer Ring Expressway), the Ilsan-bound lanes are congested over an 8 km section from Jangsu to Songnae, and the Guri-bound lanes are slow over a 7 km section from Gyeyang to Songnae. The Yeongdong Expressway is congested over a total of 14 km near Yeoju Rest Area to Hobeop Junction in the Incheon direction.

At 5 p.m., the estimated travel times by passenger car from major cities nationwide to the Seoul tollgate are 4 hours 30 minutes from Busan, 3 hours 40 minutes from Gwangju, 3 hours 30 minutes from Daegu, and 2 hours 50 minutes from Gangneung.

The Expressway Corporation expected the nationwide traffic volume to reach 3.49 million vehicles that day. It was forecasted that 300,000 vehicles would move from the metropolitan area to local regions, and 370,000 vehicles from local regions to the metropolitan area. Congestion in the returning direction is expected to peak around 3 to 4 p.m. and ease around 9 to 10 p.m.

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