Busan is good

Korea’s First Deep Underground Urban Expressway Open to All Vehicles Opens: Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway

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□ A new mobility map that will lead Busan’s transportation innovation will be completed for the first time in 25 years.

□ Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that at midnight (00:00) tomorrow (the 10th), the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway, the final segment of Busan’s Inner Ring Road, will open to traffic.

○ Ahead of the full opening, the City will hold an opening ceremony today (the 9th) at 14:00 at Mandeok IC, the starting point of the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway.
○ The ceremony will be attended by Mayor Park Heong-joon; Busan Metropolitan Council Chairperson Ahn Seong-min; National Assembly members Jeon Jae-su (Buk-gu A), Kim Mi-ae (Haeundae Eul), and Park Seong-hun (Buk-gu Eul); the Chairperson of the Metropolitan Transport Commission of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; the district heads of Dongnae-gu, Buk-gu, Haeundae-gu, and Yeonje-gu; and project stakeholders, among others—about 300 people in total. The approximately 40-minute program will proceed in the following order: National Ceremony, introduction of distinguished guests, project progress report, commemorative address, congratulatory remarks, and a groundbreaking-style ceremonial performance.

□ The Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway is a 9.62-kilometer (km) long, four-lane (two-way) tunnel connecting Mandeok-dong, Buk-gu (Mandeok-daero) and Jaesong-dong, Haeundae-gu (Suyeong Riverside Road), and is Korea’s first deep underground road that allows all vehicles to pass.

○ It is Korea’s first “city-pass underground road” built at a depth of more than 40 meters (m) below ground, forming a new transport axis completely separated from surface traffic and expected to serve as a turning point in shifting away from a surface-centered traffic system.
○ In particular, advanced ventilation, drainage, and fire safety systems have been applied to ensure both safety and comfort, and this is assessed as an achievement that sets a new benchmark for transportation technology in Busan and across the Republic of Korea.
○ In addition, throughout the seven-year construction period, cutting-edge methods were mobilized in full—such as ground stabilization, ultra-precision excavation technology, and smart safety monitoring—securing both safety and efficiency.

□ Furthermore, this project is also the final link that completes the remaining segment 25 years after the 2001 “Busan Inner Ring Road Network” plan was established. Busan Metropolitan City expects that the deep underground road will not only resolve chronic congestion in the city center and promote balanced development between western and eastern Busan, but also contribute to revitalizing the tourism economy by improving accessibility between Gimhae Airport and Haeundae.

○ With the opening of this road, travel time from Mandeok to Centum—previously taking more than 40 minutes—will be dramatically reduced to around 10 minutes (11.3 minutes), easing the burden of logistics movement and further smoothing traffic flow across Busan.
○ In particular, improved traffic efficiency is expected to lead to better urban air quality, energy savings, and expanded daily living spheres, thereby enhancing residents’ quality of life.
○ Moreover, as western Busan’s logistics and industrial infrastructure becomes connected more quickly with Centum City in eastern Busan and the tourism and high-tech industries of Haeundae and Gijang, synergy and vitality across the regional economy as a whole are expected to increase significantly.

□ In addition, with this opening, travel time from Mandeok to Centum will be reduced by more than 30 minutes, from 41.8 minutes to 11.3 minutes, and economic benefits are expected including: annual travel cost savings of KRW 64.8 billion; a production inducement effect of KRW 1.2332 trillion; and 9,599 jobs created.

○ Achievements are also expected in terms of completing the Inner Ring Road network, balanced regional development, alleviating traffic congestion on surface roads, and environmentally friendly road construction.
○ Chronic congestion on Chungnyeol-daero and Suyeong Riverside Road is expected to be significantly alleviated, further smoothing traffic flow across Busan. Improved traffic efficiency is expected to lead to better urban air quality, energy savings, and expanded daily living spheres, thereby enhancing residents’ quality of life.

□ Meanwhile, tolls will be charged for the Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway starting Feb. 19. For passenger cars, a toll of KRW 2,500 will be charged during morning peak hours from 07:00 to 12:00 and evening peak hours from 16:00 to 21:00, based on passing from Mandeok IC to Centum IC.

□ Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “The Mandeok–Centum Urban Expressway opening this time is a landmark project symbolizing the transformation of Busan’s transportation system as Korea’s first deep underground road open to all vehicles,” adding, “I expect that as Busan’s logistics and industrial infrastructure becomes connected more quickly with Centum City in eastern Busan and the tourism and high-tech industries of Haeundae and Gijang, synergy and vitality across the regional economy as a whole will increase significantly.”

□ He continued, “Even after the opening, we will closely monitor traffic flow and safety management conditions to ensure that citizens can use the road more conveniently and safely.”