Busan's 3rd Hwangryeong Tunnel Project: A Solution to Urban Congestion

The city of Busan has announced the official launch of the basic and implementation design services for the 3rd Hwangryeong Tunnel road opening project. The project kickoff meeting took place yesterday at 10 AM in the city hall conference room on the 20th floor.

The 3rd Hwangryeong Tunnel project, stretching a total length of 4.11 kilometers, is an ambitious road construction plan worth KRW 3.696 trillion. This new infrastructure aims to connect the Shinli intersection in Yeonsan-dong, Yeonje District, and Hwangnyeong Boulevard in Daeyeon-dong, Nam District.

This endeavor was designated as the 4th major metropolitan traffic congestion road by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in July 2021. The project subsequently commenced a preliminary feasibility study in December 2021. After the results validated the project's viability in August of the previous year, it was finally confirmed as a state-assisted road project. The total project period spans from 2023 to 2029, with the expectation of being open to traffic by 2030. The opening of this tunnel is projected to reduce the travel time between Yeonje Intersection and Danam Intersection from the current 35 minutes to just 15 minutes for passenger vehicles, saving a total of 20 minutes.

Interestingly, the City of Busan has historically pursued the establishment of three Hwangryeong Tunnels via a private capital project. Among these, the first Hwangryeong Tunnel was completed, while the second and third tunnels were initially abandoned due to the anticipation of excessive construction costs. However, the third tunnel's construction is now underway, and its completion is eagerly anticipated.

In contrast, the second Hwangryeong Tunnel had unique challenges that included the necessity for expanding not only the tunnel but also the connecting roads. This task proved virtually impossible due to anticipated high costs for land acquisition and compensation. Despite interest in revisiting the project, practical obstacles, such as the transformation of the old Daewoo Bus site into an apartment complex, have rendered any changes virtually unfeasible.

In the reporting session, the overall execution plan for the basic and implementation design of the project was reviewed with the attendance of the director of the Urban Planning Bureau of Busan and related personnel. The design service period is two years, from June 27, 2023, to June 26, 2025. By the second half of 2024, the route for the 3rd Hwangryeong Tunnel will be selected. Thereafter, administrative procedures such as resident briefings, technical advice, value engineering of the design, and total project cost consultations are expected to proceed.

If the procedures wrap up in the first half of 2025 as planned, the construction will commence concurrently with compensation payments in the second half of 2025 for swift project progression. The financial road project is expected to be free of charge for users as it receives national support.

Director of the Urban Planning Bureau of Busan, said, "We will promptly open the 3rd Hwangryeong Tunnel, which is the only road that directly connects Yeonje-gu (Yeonje Intersection) and Nam-gu (Danam Intersection). This will help alleviate traffic congestion and inconvenience for citizens commuting through routes like Sooyoung-ro, as well as promote balanced development of the city by directly connecting the two areas disconnected by Mt. Hwangryeong."

Busan Mayor Park stated, "We will continuously secure national budget to resolve the representative issues of our city, including traffic congestion, and improve accessibility between regions through a dense arterial road network. This will help us realize our city's vision of '15-minute city' and 'Busan, a city where people want to live again.'"

The completion of the 3rd Hwangryeong Tunnel is not just about the creation of another roadway. It signifies a significant leap toward the city's grand vision of balanced urban development and a more connected and accessible Busan.