5 lanes open early between Dongnae Lotte Department Store intersection and Sojeongcheon intersection

10 lanes each way in Dongnae section by October, full project done by second half of next year

A map showing the location of the road paving work on Jungang-daero, along with photos from the scene [Busan City]
A map showing the location of the road paving work on Jungang-daero, along with photos from the scene [Busan City]

The city of Busan said Thursday that it will carry out road paving work through Sept. 18 to gradually open the Dongnae-gu section of the Jungang-daero widening project.

The 362.6 billion won ($271 million) project, funded by the city, will widen a 3.27-kilometer stretch of Jungang-daero from the intersection in front of Lotte Department Store in Dongnae-gu to the intersection in front of the Geumjeong-gu District Office, expanding it from five lanes each way to 10 to 12 lanes.

The paving work will open five lanes heading toward central Busan — currently three lanes — ahead of schedule between the Dongnae Lotte Department Store intersection and the Sojeongcheon intersection. These are part of the planned 10 lanes each way for that stretch. This marks the final stretch of asphalt paving needed to open the widened Dongnae-gu section, and it will proceed two lanes at a time to minimize disruption to traffic.

Of the five lanes under construction, three will remain open to maintain the existing traffic flow, while paving work will proceed sequentially on the remaining two lanes to minimize inconvenience to commuters.

Considering rush-hour traffic volume and conditions on Jungang-daero, a major arterial road, the city plans to flexibly adjust work hours and construction zones based on site conditions. This includes avoiding daytime work and carrying out some construction at night.

The city said it will swiftly push forward with the remaining work after the chuseok holiday. It aims to open 10 lanes each way in the Dongnae-gu section — excluding the Geumjeong-gu section — by the end of October. It plans to complete construction on the entire project area, including Geumjeong-gu, by the second half of next year.

"We will complete the project as soon as possible to restore the function of Jungang-daero, a key arterial road connecting the northern and southern parts of Busan, and resolve chronic traffic congestion at the Guseo interchange and the entrance to Yunsan Tunnel, which serve as a northern gateway to Busan," said Sim Seong-tae, head of the city's construction headquarters.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com