Hwaseong to Fully Close Dongtan Forest Ecological Tunnel Due to Wall Cracks Starting Tomorrow

Emergency Reinforcement Work Underway... Detailed Safety Inspection Also Planned
Mayor Jung Myunggeun: "Implement Thorough Repair and Reinforcement Measures"

The city of Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province will fully close the Dongtan Forest Ecological Tunnel from 9 a.m. on the 3rd and carry out emergency reinforcement work due to wall cracks.

On the afternoon of the 2nd, Mayor Jung Myunggeun of Hwaseong, together with relevant officials, visited the Dongtan Forest Ecological Tunnel site at 476-4 Mokdong to inspect the condition of the cracks and identify risk factors. Afterward, a disaster prevention safety meeting was held at the Dongtan Branch Office, where opinions from experts and related agencies were gathered before making this decision.

The city of Hwaseong will fully close the Dongtan Forest Ecological Tunnel from 9 a.m. on the 3rd for emergency reinforcement work due to wall cracks. The city plans to conduct a detailed safety inspection as soon as the reinforcement work is completed. Provided by Hwaseong City

Previously, on November 29, the city confirmed torsion and cracks in the central wall section of the Dongtan Forest Ecological Tunnel on Dongtan Circulation Road, which has eight lanes for both directions. This tunnel, measuring 101 meters in length and 38.6 meters in width, was completed in 2016 and passes through the ecological forest between Hwaseong Sangnok Country Club and Rivera Country Club. The construction company is Sambo Construction Co., Ltd.

Following the full closure of the tunnel, the city plans to immediately proceed with emergency reinforcement work. Once the construction is complete, a detailed safety inspection will be conducted to comprehensively assess structural stability and establish fundamental repair and reinforcement measures for implementation.

The city will also operate structural displacement monitoring equipment at all times to monitor for any abnormalities. In addition, for pedestrian safety, the upper park and walking trails connected to the ecological tunnel will also be closed.

At the meeting, Mayor Jung instructed, "Prepare measures to minimize inconvenience to residents caused by traffic control and take every action with the utmost priority on citizen safety, leaving no room for negligence. Based on the results of the detailed safety inspection, thoroughly establish fundamental repair and reinforcement measures to ensure an environment where citizens can use the facility with peace of mind."

Jung Myunggeun, Mayor of Hwaseong (center), is discussing safety measures related to wall cracks with Jung Guwon, First Deputy Mayor, and other officials at the Dongtan Forest Ecological Tunnel site on the 2nd. Provided by Hwaseong City

To minimize inconvenience to citizens due to traffic control, the city will send disaster alert text messages to local residents, provide information on detour routes for general vehicles, and introduce detour buses. Residents of nearby apartment complexes will also be urgently notified of these measures through their management offices.

Once the emergency measures are completed, the city is considering restricting only the first and second lanes, where structural issues have been identified, and gradually reopening the remaining sections in stages.

Additionally, to prevent disasters at similar facilities, the city will conduct safety inspections for cracks, leaks, efflorescence, differential settlement, road surface conditions, and drainage management at 12 road tunnels in the Dongtan area.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.