Sancheong County's National Road 20 and 59 Projects Pass Preliminary Feasibility Review

Sicheon–Danseong Four-Lane Expansion and Sancheong–Chahwang Road Improvement
Total Project Cost: 226.6 Billion Won

The four-lane expansion project of National Road No. 20 from Sicheon to Danseong, and the improvement project of National Road No. 59 from Sancheong to Chahwang, both of which have been promoted by Sancheong County in Gyeongnam, have passed the government’s batch preliminary feasibility review.

The county announced on the 27th that, with both projects passing the preliminary feasibility review, it plans to proceed through subsequent steps, including the incorporation into the 6th National and Local Road Construction Plan.

[Photo by Sanchungun] Yum Myunghyun, Mayor of Sanchungun, is visiting the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the National Assembly to explain the necessity of advancing the four-lane expansion project for National Road No. 20 from Sicheon to Danseong and the road improvement project for National Road No. 59 from Sanchung to Chahwang.

The combined total project cost for these two projects, which have just passed the preliminary feasibility review, amounts to 226.6 billion won. The four-lane expansion of National Road No. 20 from Sicheon to Danseong involves 142.8 billion won to widen a 7.1 km section to four lanes in both directions.

This section is an area where the number of lanes on the existing road changes, creating the need for improved traffic flow. Sancheong County expects that, if the project moves forward, it will help improve traffic conditions and road safety along this route.

The improvement project for National Road No. 59 from Sancheong to Chahwang will invest 83.8 billion won to upgrade a 6.7 km stretch of steep gradients and sharp curves.

Sancheong County anticipates that improvements to the road structure will reduce winter traffic risks such as icing, enhance travel conditions for residents commuting between Sancheong and Chahwang, and improve accessibility to tourist destinations such as Hwangmaesan Mountain.

The county has long explained the necessity of both projects to the government and the National Assembly, requesting their inclusion in the 6th National and Local Road Construction Plan and approval through the preliminary feasibility review process.

Yun Myunghyun, the mayor of Sancheong County, visited the Ministry of Strategy and Finance on the 8th of last month and the National Assembly on the 23rd, explaining the need to move these projects forward. Previously, Sancheong County submitted a petition containing 1,390 signatures from local residents to Assemblyman Shin Sungbum to request support for advancing the projects.

Assemblyman Shin Sungbum has also communicated the necessity of these two projects to the National Assembly and relevant agencies, and has continued discussions to facilitate their progress.

However, passing the preliminary feasibility review does not immediately mean that construction will begin. Remaining steps include determining whether the projects will be officially included in the 6th National and Local Road Construction Plan and conducting detailed design work, so additional administrative procedures are required before the projects can be implemented.

Yun Myunghyun, the mayor of Sancheong County, stated, "Now that we have passed the preliminary feasibility review, we will do our utmost to ensure the projects are ultimately incorporated into the 6th construction plan and to advance them without any setbacks."

The Sicheon-Danseong four-lane expansion of National Road No. 20 and the Sancheong-Chahwang improvement project for National Road No. 59, which have been longstanding aspirations for Sancheong County, have passed the preliminary feasibility review. With a total investment of 226.6 billion won, expectations are rising for improvements to the region’s transportation environment.

Nevertheless, passing the preliminary feasibility review does not immediately mean the projects will break ground. There remain additional steps such as confirmation of inclusion in the final 6th construction plan and conducting detailed design work.

Going forward, the key challenge will be how quickly Sancheong County and related agencies can move from passing the preliminary feasibility review to the actual implementation of these projects.

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