Seoul City Puts Northeast Area's Long-Awaited 'Dongbu Expressway Underground Project' on Track... Construction to Start in 2023

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The long-awaited “Dongbu Expressway Underground Project,” a chronic congestion zone frequently flooded during heavy rains and a long-standing wish of residents in the northeastern area, is now on track.

On the 24th, Seoul City announced that it has completed negotiations with the tentative preferred bidder, Dongseoul Underground Road, for the preparation of the implementation agreement for the “private investment project” section (Wolreung~Samseong) of the first phase of the Dongbu Expressway underground project (Wolreung~Daechi 12.2km, 4 lanes each way). The basic design for the remaining “public-funded project” section (Samseong~Daechi), which will be funded by the city’s budget, will also be completed within the first half of the year.

The implementation agreement contains detailed information related to the project execution, such as the total project cost and toll fees, and forms the foundation of the private investment project. The city plans to sign the implementation agreement in the second half of this year after related reviews and deliberations. Both the private investment and public-funded projects aim to start construction in 2023 and open in 2028.

Upon completion of the first phase, an underground road directly connecting Seokgye-dong (Wolreung Bridge) to Daechi-dong with 4 lanes each way will be established. Travel time between the southeastern and northeastern areas will be drastically reduced from about 30 minutes to 10 minutes. This is expected to contribute to balanced regional development by spreading the effects of the Southeast International Exchange Complex District to the northeastern area.

The “Dongbu Expressway Underground Project” involves installing a deep-level 4-lane road tunnel in the Wolreung IC to Yeongdong-daero (Daechi Woosung Apartment Intersection) section and undergrounding the existing Dongbu Expressway section to separate long- and short-distance traffic. After undergrounding the Dongbu Expressway, the Jungnangcheon area will be reborn as an attractive waterfront space through ecological river restoration.

Seoul City is promoting the project in two phases, comprehensively considering traffic conditions on the Dongbu Expressway and Yeongdong-daero sections, the city’s financial situation, and project objectives. In the first phase, a deep-level underground road (Wolreung~Daechi, 12.2km) for traffic improvement will be constructed by 2028, followed by the second phase, which will underground the existing Dongbu Expressway section (Wolgye~Songjeong, 11.5km) and create a waterfront space along Jungnangcheon.

The first phase will be promoted through both private investment and public-funded projects. The “private investment project” section (Wolreung Bridge~Yeongdong Bridge South End, 10.1km) reached an implementation agreement on the 18th after 49 rounds of practical negotiations over the past two years between Seoul City and the tentative preferred bidder, Dongseoul Underground Road. The detailed design currently underway will be completed, with construction planned to start in the second half of next year.

The “public-funded project” section (Yeongdong Bridge South End~Daechi Woosung Apartment Intersection, 2.1km) will complete its basic design in the first half of this year, with construction bidding and contract procedures to be carried out in the second half, aiming for construction to begin next year. Both the private investment and public-funded project sections plan to open simultaneously in 2028.

Meanwhile, Seoul City will actively cooperate with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the project authority for the Seongnam-Gangnam Expressway, to promote the 3.0km discontinuous section between the end of the Dongbu Expressway underground section at “Daechi Woosung Apartment Intersection” and the “Seongnam-Gangnam Expressway terminus” (Ilwon-dong Ilwon Tunnel Intersection).

Han Je-hyun, Director of Seoul City’s Safety General Office, said, “The Dongbu Expressway undergrounding will resolve chronic congestion and directly connect the northeastern and southeastern arterial roads, spreading the effects of the Southeast International Exchange Complex District to the northeastern area and promoting balanced development between Gangnam and Gangbuk. Now that the project is on track, we will do our best to ensure its smooth progress.”

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