Busan is good

Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway to Open on Feb. 10, Completing Busan’s Inner Ring Road Network After 25 Years!

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway will officially open to traffic on Feb. 10, following an opening ceremony on Feb. 9. The new road is expected to reduce public inconvenience by dispersing traffic from chronic congestion areas such as Mandeok-daero in Buk-gu and Chungnyeol-daero in Dongnae-gu.

The Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway is Korea’s first deep underground tunnel that allows use by all vehicles. It enables direct travel from Mandeok-dong in Buk-gu to Jaesong-dong in Haeundae-gu without passing through major intersections such as the Mandeok Intersection in Buk-gu; the Miman, Naeseong, Dongnae, and Allak intersections in Dongnae-gu; and the Wondong Interchange (IC) intersection in Haeundae-gu.

Travel time will be reduced dramatically by about 31 minutes—from 42 minutes to 11 minutes—while congestion on existing roads is expected to ease significantly.

A deep underground tunnel refers to a road tunnel constructed at a depth of around 40 meters underground. Given Busan’s terrain, with mountains behind and sea in front, forming a standardized road network is particularly challenging. Accordingly, this method was applied to the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway, the final missing link in Busan’s inner ring road network.

This opening represents the final missing link completed 25 years after Busan Metropolitan City first established the inner ring road network plan in 2001, and it is the result of the city’s full capabilities and efforts.

Busan Metropolitan City steadily implemented detailed action plans, including port hinterland roads and attraction of private investment projects, while establishing the inner ring road network system through revisions to the Road Maintenance Master Plan in 2007 and 2012 following the initial plan in 2001.

Later, the city opened the Jangpyeong Underpass in 2023 and the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway this year (2026), completing the final missing link of the inner ring road network and building a groundbreaking transportation network by dispersing traffic between the city center and sub-centers and ensuring continuous traffic flow.

In addition, Busan Metropolitan City is advancing surrounding transport networks near the start and end points of the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway and pursuing measures to maximize the impact of the new road. These include opening the access road to Gwangandaegyo Bridge last year (2025), implementing road traffic system improvements between Deokcheon (Hwamyeong) and Yangsan, and carrying out the Jungang-daero expansion project. The Suyeonggang Human Bridge project, intended to create a pedestrian-friendly environment, is scheduled for completion this year (2026).

With the inner ring road network, along with the outer ring road network and the outer beltway expressway, Busan is expected to strengthen its international competitiveness and elevate its status as a global logistics hub city by enhancing connectivity among national backbone networks such as Gadeokdo New Airport, Busan Port’s North Port and New Port, hinterland complexes, and railways.

The outer ring road network connects the outskirts of the city, including routes between eastern and western Busan. Busan Metropolitan City plans to focus on building the network by constructing the Bansong Tunnel, the final missing link.

Following the opening of the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway, Busan Metropolitan City will continue monitoring traffic volume changes and actively respond to changes in traffic systems around entry and exit facilities such as Mandeok, Dongnae, and Centum interchanges (IC).

The city also plans to create a multi-centered urban spatial structure through linkage of regional functions by establishing metropolitan and circular transportation infrastructure between major hubs, and to build a network that organically connects all directions—east, west, south, and north.

In addition, to proactively respond to changing social conditions such as population decline and low growth, Busan Metropolitan City will expand the influence sphere of the Busan–Ulsan–Gyeongnam region beyond administrative boundaries and promote solidarity and cooperation among regions.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “Through the dispersal of traffic on surface roads above the deep underground tunnel, we will actively respond to improvements in the surface traffic system, improvements to the pedestrian environment in the city center, and a paradigm shift toward green transportation.” He added, “Going forward, we will reorganize space into a 15-minute city model living environment and expand the influence sphere of the Busan–Ulsan–Gyeongnam region by efficiently utilizing road space, including within the metropolitan core zone and 10 key hubs.”