Changwon Special City to Gradually Resolve Traffic Congestion on Dongjeong–Buk-myeon Section of National Road 79

Active Promotion of Hwacheon Interchange Improvement Following Preliminary Feasibility Study Rejection

Changwon Special City announced on the 20th that it will expedite the 'National Road 79 Hwacheon Interchange (Buk-myeon Oegam-ri) Improvement Project', which is being carried out by Gyeongsangnam-do Province, in order to minimize inconvenience for residents in the Buk-myeon area and gradually resolve traffic congestion.

This is because the expansion project for the Dongjeong–Buk-myeon section of National Road 79 failed to pass the preliminary feasibility study included in the 6th National Road and National Minor Road Construction Plan.

Changwon Special City Hall.
Photo by Changwon City

The Dongjeong–Buk-myeon section of National Road 79 has experienced a surge in traffic due to the development of the new city in Buk-myeon, Uichang-gu. This has led to chronic congestion during commuting hours and frequent accident risks, resulting in significant dissatisfaction among the residents.

Changwon City has continuously sought to include the project to expand National Road 79 from four lanes to six lanes in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s National Road and National Minor Road Construction Plan, starting from the 4th construction plan. However, as the project did not pass the preliminary feasibility review again in the 6th plan, feelings of disappointment among residents have grown.

Accordingly, through the 'National Road 79 Hwacheon Interchange Improvement Project,' the city plans to enhance connectivity between National Road 79 and nearby roads, improve traffic flow in chronically congested areas, and substantially increase travel convenience for Buk-myeon residents.

This project involves a total investment of KRW 2.1 billion to improve a 375-meter acceleration-deceleration lane section, with completion targeted for December 2027. The city is maintaining close cooperation with Gyeongsangnam-do Province to ensure the project proceeds smoothly and will actively support the work to minimize inconvenience to residents during construction.

Kang Kiyoon, Mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, "The expansion of National Road 79 is a long-cherished project directly related to improving the quality of life for Buk-myeon residents, so we will continue our efforts." He added, "By first pursuing the immediately feasible Hwacheon Interchange Improvement Project, we will gradually improve traffic conditions. At the same time, we will mobilize all the city's resources to ensure the National Road 79 expansion project is included in the 7th National Road and National Minor Road Construction Plan and passes the preliminary feasibility review."

Changwon City must do its utmost to ensure that substantial administrative procedures are undertaken so that the city can truly improve the travel convenience for Buk-myeon residents, whose inconvenience due to traffic congestion is well recognized.

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