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Busan to Partially Open “Chungjang Underpass” on March 31 to Alleviate Traffic Congestion Near Busan Station

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will partially open the Chungjang Underpass at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow (31) to alleviate chronic traffic congestion in the vicinity of Busan Station.

To minimize inconvenience to citizens caused by delays in the completion of the rear access road construction, the city has been pursuing consultations with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and carrying out administrative procedures for the partial opening of the underpass since the inter-agency administrative consultation meeting held in November last year.

The underpass to be partially opened (four lanes, total length 1.86 km) was constructed to connect from approximately 300 meters after entering Chungjang-daero from the Chungjang Overpass to the vicinity of Busan Customs.

The rear access road construction project, which began in October 2019, has been delayed beyond the original schedule due to unforeseen changes in on-site conditions. Accordingly, Busan Metropolitan City and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries agreed, starting with the inter-agency administrative consultation meeting in November last year, to partially open the underpass section in order to minimize prolonged traffic inconvenience to citizens, and have discussed the plan through a consultative body of related organizations.

To ensure a safe and smooth opening, the city conducted on-site inspections on March 24, with the Assistant Mayor of Urban Innovation and Balanced Development Office and relevant department heads personally reviewing conditions.

The city and relevant organizations receiving the facilities have requested more than 170 corrective measures through continuous on-site inspections since January this year, and these are scheduled to be addressed prior to opening.

In particular, inspections focused on safety facilities and evacuation guidance systems within the tunnel, as well as potential congestion and accident risks at the merging section between the Chungjang Overpass and the underpass. The city has also requested that the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries closely cooperate with the National Police Agency even after opening to prevent inconvenience to citizens.

With the opening of the Chungjang Underpass, vehicles traveling along Chungjang-daero are expected to pass through without waiting at traffic signals, thereby alleviating traffic inconvenience.

The addition of a four-lane underground route to the currently six-lane Chungjang-daero section under construction is expected to efficiently distribute traffic volume.

In particular, when using the underpass, vehicles will pass underground without stopping at signals at two major intersections (Pier 3 and Pier 4 intersections) between the terminal section of the Chungjang Overpass and Busan Customs, significantly reducing travel time through the section.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “The opening of the Chungjang Underpass is the result of intensive consultations and efforts by Busan Metropolitan City, related organizations, and officials from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to alleviate inconvenience to citizens,” adding, “After the opening, we will do our utmost as the road management authority to ensure safety and to complete the construction of the upper road (Chungjang-daero).”