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| Daewoo Engineering & Construction (E&C) completes construction of the Guri-Pocheon Expressway, which links the eastern part of Seoul with Pocheon and other cities in northeastern Gyeonggi Province. The road will open at midnight on June 30. / Courtesy of Daewoo E&C |
By Lee Hyo-sik
Daewoo Engineering & Construction (E&C) has completed construction of the Guri-Pocheon Expressway, linking the eastern part of Seoul with Pocheon and other cities in northeastern Gyeonggi Province, the builder said Wednesday.
The 44.6-kilometer-long road, which will open at midnight on June 30, is expected to save significant travel time for motorists heading to and from northeastern Gyeonggi Province. A six-kilometer section that connects Pocheon City with nearby Yangju City has also been completed, which will ease traffic congestion during rush hour.
According to Daewoo officials, it normally takes about 70 to 90 minutes for motorists to reach Pocheon from Guri on the outskirts of eastern Seoul, using existing roads.
But when the Guri-Pocheon Expressway opens, it will reduce the travel time by as much as an hour, bringing golf courses and tourist destinations in northeastern Gyeonggi Province within easy reach for Seoul residents.
"The expressway will also improve road conditions significantly for hundreds of thousands of people residing in bedroom towns located northeast of Seoul," an Daewoo E&C official said. "The road will ease traffic congestion and provide a huge economic boost to northeastern Gyeonggi cities."
The official said it costs 3,800 won ($3.33) for passenger vehicles to travel the entire 44.6 kilometer section, much cheaper than other roads built and operated by private entities.
"The toll is only 1.2 times that of public highways operated by the Korea Expressway Corp. This affordable fare will encourage more motorists to use the new expressway," he said.
In 2012, Daewoo formed a consortium with 10 other builders to undertake the 2.87-trillion-won construction project, financed by Korea Development Bank and the Industrial Bank of Korea.
After operating it for 30 years to retrieve its investment, the consortium will return its ownership to Korea Expressway Corp.
The Guri-Pocheon Expressway will later be connected to an envisioned road linking Seoul and Sejong City.
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