Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway Resumes from Scratch; Optimal Route to Be Set by Second Half of Next Year

The Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway construction project, which was suspended in July 2023 due to allegations of preferential treatment regarding a change in its terminal point, is being pursued again through a new feasibility study.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced today (Nov. 3) that it has initiated a new feasibility study for the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway project and will hold an inception report meeting tomorrow (Nov. 4) together with a public-private consultative body.

The Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway is a new 27-kilometer, four-lane round-trip highway project connecting Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, and Yangpyeong County.

Considering the expansion of the transportation network in the northeastern metropolitan area and the necessity of promoting a long-cherished regional project, the government confirmed its policy to resume the project in March of this year.

Subsequently, the existing feasibility study service was terminated, a new service was tendered in June, and a contract was signed in August.

This feasibility study will be conducted in a manner that re-examines related data and project conditions from scratch, without being bound by the results of the previous study.

The government plans to comprehensively analyze future traffic demand, technical feasibility, economic effects, and environmental and social impacts to prepare an optimal route plan by the second half of next year.

To secure fairness and transparency in the survey process, a public-private consultative body will be operated, involving private experts in the fields of roads, transportation, and environment, as well as officials from relevant local governments including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Songpa-gu, Hanam, Gwangju, and Yangpyeong County.

At tomorrow's (Nov. 4) inception report meeting, discussions will be held on the results of the basic data survey, technical issues of the existing preliminary feasibility study route plan, and future survey plans.

For the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway project, a route with Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong County, as its original terminal point passed the preliminary feasibility study, but as an alternative to change the terminal point to Gangsang-myeon was subsequently reviewed, allegations of preferential treatment were raised regarding the family of Keonhee, who own land nearby.

At the time, then-Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Wonhee declared the scrapping of the project in July 2023 as the controversy spread.

Kim Hyojung, Director General for Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "As various controversies have been raised during the course of the project, we will prepare a rational route plan that the public can trust through a fair and objective investigation," adding, "We will also proceed with follow-up procedures swiftly to minimize public inconvenience caused by project delays."

(File Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.