Traffic Resumption on Entire Section of 'Je2 Gyeongin Expressway' from 5 PM on the 16th

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 13th that traffic will resume from 5 p.m. on the 16th on the 7.26 km section of the 2nd Gyeongin Expressway between Sammak IC and Bukuiwang IC, which had been restricted due to a fire accident in the soundproof tunnel.

A fire occurred on the 29th in the noise barrier tunnel section near Bukuiwang IC on the Second Gyeongin Expressway in Gwacheon, leaving only the framework of the noise barrier tunnel remaining. / Gwacheon - Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

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This section was the site of a major fire accident last December when a fire originating from a cargo vehicle spread to the soundproof panels made of flammable material (PMMA, polymethyl methacrylate). Since the accident, vehicle traffic had been restricted from Sammak IC in Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do to Bukuiwang IC in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, but with the reopening of traffic, user inconvenience is expected to be resolved.

After the soundproof tunnel fire accident, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport held on-site inspections and advisory meetings with specialized organizations such as the Korea Infrastructure Safety & Technology Corporation, Korea Expressway Corporation, and the Structural Maintenance Engineering Society, and conducted an emergency safety inspection from February 1 to April 2.

The emergency safety inspection confirmed that no structural damage occurred to the bridge section due to the fire. Subsequently, restoration work was carried out, including repaving the road surface for vehicle traffic and repairing the cross-section of the fire-damaged guardrails.

In addition, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that all necessary related measures for reopening, including consultations with the National Police Agency and securing traffic safety facilities, have been completed, and the section has been reopened.

Earlier, the Ministry announced the ‘Road Soundproof Facility Fire Safety Enhancement Measures’ in February following the soundproof tunnel fire accident. Accordingly, all soundproof tunnels made of flammable material (PMMA, polymethyl methacrylate) located on expressways and national roads managed by the Ministry will be completely replaced with fire-resistant materials by the end of this year, and those managed by local governments will be replaced by February next year.

Lee Yong-wook, Director of the Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "This section experiences heavy traffic during commuting hours, causing inconvenience to many users, and we hope this reopening will alleviate those inconveniences." He added, "We will also steadily implement the ‘Soundproof Facility Fire Safety Enhancement Measures’ so that the public can use the roads more safely and comfortably."

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