The access road to Seongsan Ilchulbong in Jeju, which had been a single lane one-way, will be widened, and a pedestrian overwater bridge will also be built. Seongsan Ilchulbong in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, is a tuff cone (a small volcanic edifice formed by accumulated volcanic ash) created by a submarine volcanic eruption. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2007. It is a popular attraction for domestic and international tourists, but the access road is narrow, causing chronic traffic congestion during peak seasons.
According to the construction industry and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 28th, on Dec. 26 last year, Jeju Province signed a construction contract with a consortium of Daebo Engineering & Construction and Yongju General Construction to widen the access road to Seongsan Port. The project will expand the 440-meter section from Ojo-ri to Seongsan-ri in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, the route into Ilchulbong, from the current two lanes (one lane each way) to four lanes (two lanes each way).
The project site is the road that runs from the point where Hando-ro and Haemajihaean-ro in Ojo-ri meet to the entrance of Seongsan Port. In this section there was Hando Bridge connecting Ojo-ri and Seongsan-ri, and this bridge will also be demolished.
Jeju Province is widening the road because it is a main route for tourists heading to Seongsan Ilchulbong and Udo, and it is difficult to accommodate all the traffic demand with a single lane one-way and two lanes round-trip. During peak seasons and on weekends, traffic congestion was severe with tourists, local residents, and logistics vehicles. Due to bottlenecks, it often took more than an hour just to get in.
The total construction cost is 40.8 billion won, and the total project cost including supervision and design is 49 billion won. Daebo Engineering & Construction will handle 52% of the work, and Yongju General Construction will handle the remainder. The construction period is 37 months from the groundbreaking date.
Along with widening the vehicle lanes, Jeju Province will also build a combined bicycle and pedestrian path. It will also demolish an aging lock gate (a sluice used to adjust water levels to allow ships to pass) and install an overwater pedestrian bridge (64 meters long) to provide ocean views. A Daebo Engineering & Construction official said, "Groundbreaking is scheduled for March."
An official at Jeju's Shipping and Port Division said, "The access road was narrow, and with tour buses converging, the area had chronic traffic congestion," adding, "We are widening it to make access easier." The official added, "The overwater pedestrian bridge will also serve as a photo zone where visitors can view the scenery with Ilchulbong as the backdrop and take commemorative photos, enhancing convenience for tourists."