Incheon Metropolitan Roads Reorganized After 22 Years... Eight New Routes Including Yeongjong~Ganghwa Line Designated

by Park Haesook

Published 30 Apr.2023 18:16(KST)

Incheon City has completely reorganized the metropolitan city and provincial routes centered on Ganghwa and Ongjin for the first time in 22 years.

The city plans to systematize the existing 122 routes totaling 826 km of metropolitan city and provincial roads into 68 routes totaling 891 km, and officially announce this on May 1.

Among the roads managed by local governments, there are metropolitan city and provincial roads and county and district roads. Metropolitan city and provincial roads refer to roads managed by metropolitan local governments. According to the Road Act, the road management authority must designate and announce the routes of the roads.

The city newly designated a total of 8 routes, covering 57.4 km, as metropolitan city and provincial roads, including the newly constructed Yeongjong?Ganghwa Line and Jangbong?Sindo Line, as well as the Hajum?Ganghwa Line (former National Road No. 48).

The Yeongjong?Ganghwa Line (14.6 km) is intended to build a peace road connecting Yeongjong Island (Incheon International Airport) and Ganghwa Island (Gilsang-myeon), which are pledges made by the President and the Mayor.

This road is expected to serve as a key infrastructure if the southern end of Ganghwa Island is designated as an economic free zone, and in the future, it will contribute to national balanced development and regional economic revitalization by connecting the north-south and east-west axis discontinuities in the border areas of Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon.

The Jangbong?Sindo Line (15.9 km) is a route connecting Jangbongdo in Bukdo-myeon, Ongjin County, with three islands?Sindo, Sido, and Modo?following the Yeongjong?Sindo Peace Road scheduled to open at the end of 2025. Originally a county road managed by Ongjin County, it has been upgraded to a metropolitan city and provincial road, which is expected to help improve the living conditions of residents in the border area.

This metropolitan city and provincial road route reorganization aims to lay the foundation for the 'New Hong Kong City Project,' a core pledge of the 8th local government administration, fulfill the President’s regional pledges, improve residential living conditions for residents in border and island areas, and reflect changes in regional conditions due to various development projects such as the Incheon Free Economic Zone development plan, housing development, industrial complexes, port construction, and higher-level plans.

An official from Incheon City stated, "We expect that the reorganization of metropolitan city and provincial roads will enhance efficiency in road construction and management," and added, "We will do our best to build a road network that is organically linked with the national road network to improve its functions."

Incheon Metropolitan City Route Map [Provided by Incheon City]