Ministry of Land to Announce Pyeongtaek-Siheung Expressway Expansion Operator by November

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is launching a recruitment process for private operators to undertake the expansion of the Pyeongtaek-Siheung Expressway. The project covers a 36.4-kilometer section from the Seopyeongtaek Junction (JCT) to the Naman-san Interchange (IC), and involves widening the current four-lane road to six to eight lanes.

The ministry announced on the 24th that it will accept proposals from private operators over a 120-day period, from the 25th until November 24th. This project marks the first case in South Korea where a privately operated expansion and management of an existing expressway is being pursued. The initiative became possible following regulatory changes implemented last year.

This project was first proposed by the private sector in 2019, and after a feasibility study for private investment, a strategic environmental impact assessment, and consultations with relevant agencies, the project was finally approved by the Private Investment Deliberation Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Finance on July 8th. Following the selection process, the preferred bidder will be chosen in January 2026, with construction set to begin in 2028 and completion targeted for the end of 2033.

Location map of Pyeongtaek-Siheung Private Expressway. Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

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This route connects Incheon Port with Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Ports, and is adjacent to development zones such as Songsan Green City, resulting in steadily increasing logistics and commuter traffic. The government expects that this expansion will help alleviate chronic congestion in the southwestern part of the Seoul metropolitan area and enhance the region's capacity to handle industrial logistics.

This project will be implemented as a "rehabilitate-operate" model, a type of private investment. Under this approach, the private sector will not only expand the existing road but also take over operational rights for integrated management. Previously, only sections where the operation period had ended were eligible for the rehabilitate-operate model, but regulatory changes in October last year made it possible to include routes currently in operation, enabling this project to proceed.

The ministry anticipates that this approach will become a new model for private investment projects. It allows for the early improvement of congested or aging infrastructure without requiring large-scale government funding. A ministry official stated, "This project will serve as a catalyst for the full-scale expansion of rehabilitate-operate private investment projects," adding, "There will be a shift away from the previous focus on new construction in private road projects."

Lee Wooje, Director General of the Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We expect this project to improve mobility in the southwestern Seoul metropolitan area and make a significant contribution to the development of the local economy and industrial logistics." He added, "To diversify private investment road projects, which have so far focused on new construction, and to revitalize private investment, we will actively identify and promote rehabilitate-operate projects in the future."

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