Gangjin County Council Urges Expansion and Widening to 4 Lanes of National Road No. 23 Gangjin~Maryang

Frequent Traffic Congestion and Accidents on the 'Gangjin~Maryang' Road

[Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su] On the 24th, the Jeonnam Gangjin County Council unanimously passed the "Proposal for the Four-Lane Expansion and Paving Construction of National Road No. 23 Section Gangjin~Maryang," which was introduced by Representative Noh Doo-seop, at the 1st plenary session of the 282nd extraordinary meeting.

The two-lane road between Gangjin and Maryang has been recognized as a decisive obstacle hindering the development and progress of the southwestern coastal region, including Gangjin and Wando areas. For a long time, related institutions and residents, including Gangjin County, have persistently demanded the central government to carry out the four-lane expansion and paving construction.

The four-lane expansion and paving construction of National Road No. 23 between Gangjin and Maryang is a long-cherished project for the residents of Gangjin County. Following the opening of the inter-island and inter-connected roads between Maryang~Gogeum and Gogeum~Sinji, the traffic volume and freight volume have sharply increased, making the four-lane expansion necessary.

In particular, this section not only causes traffic congestion but also frequently experiences contact and collision accidents due to reckless overtaking that invades the center line, leading to a surge in complaints about traffic inconvenience.

In 2010, following the directive of the Board of Audit and Inspection, a feasibility re-investigation concluded that the economic feasibility, including traffic volume, was low. As a result, the four-lane expansion project was changed to a two-lane alignment improvement project, which was completed in December 2020.

Representative Noh Doo-seop, who introduced the proposal, said, "With the increase in freight volume due to the development of Shinma Port and the completion of the tourist site development project in the Gawudo area, vehicle traffic will increase explosively. The resulting traffic congestion and accident damages will inevitably affect not only tourists but also the residents."

He also emphasized, "Considering the changed conditions compared to the 2010 feasibility study, economic and policy analyses would yield completely different results. For balanced national development, guaranteeing residents' basic traffic rights, and revitalizing the local economy, the four-lane expansion and paving construction must be reexamined at the national level."

Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su gabrielw@asiae.co.kr

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