Wanju-gun Secures National Budget for Second Lane Facility Improvement between Soyang and Dongsang

Reflecting 250 Million Won in Design Costs... A Catalyst for Improving Transportation Convenience and Revitalizing Tourism

[Wanju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Han-ho] Wanju-gun announced on the 6th that the 2025 national budget of 200 million KRW (design cost) for the two-lane improvement project of the 3.58 km section of Local Road No. 55 connecting Soyang-myeon Sinwon-ri and Dongsang-myeon Sabong-ri has passed the National Assembly review and has been reflected in the government's final plan.

This section has a road cut surface made of weathered rock, posing a high risk to the slopes. Moreover, in 2014, it was designated and managed as a landslide disaster zone in the 'Comprehensive Plan for Flood and Wind Disaster Reduction,' which increased the risk and caused continuous complaints from local residents expressing anxiety.

Accordingly, Wanju-gun has continuously urged the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Economy and Finance since 2015 to alleviate residents' anxiety by including the tunnel installation and maintenance of five rockfall risk zones in this section in the 'Five-Year Plan for National and Local Roads' to improve the dangerous road facilities, a long-standing wish of local residents.

These efforts bore fruit when the project passed the comprehensive preliminary feasibility study conducted by the Korea Development Institute (KDI) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance in August this year, and in September, it was included in the establishment and confirmation notice of the 5th Five-Year Plan for National and Local Roads, leading to securing next year's national budget.

In particular, the securing of the 2022 national budget for this project was initially not reflected at all in the government's plan, which requested 300 million KRW from Wanju-gun, but it is known that a last-minute revival was achieved through a full-scale effort involving persuasion of the National Assembly's Budget and Accounts Committee and political circles.

As a result, the high-risk local road improvement project, which has about 40 curved sections due to steep slopes and sharp curves and nearly five rockfall risk zones, has laid the foundation for flexible promotion starting next year.

If this project is properly promoted, a total project cost of 62.7 billion KRW, including national road funds, will be invested by 2025 to drill a 1.05 km tunnel and improve the road alignment, thereby reducing accident risks for residents and visitors.

With the two-lane improvement project of Local Road No. 55 between Wanju Soyang and Dongsang set to be in full swing, Wanju-gun expects not only to alleviate local residents' anxiety but also to greatly boost tourism in the eastern region, including Daeseung Hanji Village, Daea Arboretum, and Wibong Waterfall.

Wanju=Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Han-ho stonepeak@asiae.co.kr

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