The Seoul city government announced on the 28th that it has decided to postpone the closure schedule for the underground bridges at Gwangmyeong Bridge and Ogeum Bridge on the Western Expressway, originally planned for the end of August. This follows the announcement of the underground bridge closure plan a week earlier on the 21st, due to concerns about increasing traffic congestion.
Initially, the Seoul city government planned to fully close the Gwangmyeong Bridge underground bridge starting on the 30th of this month, followed by the Ogeum Bridge (east side) underground bridge on September 1. This was part of the project to convert these roads into flat intersections due to the general road construction of the Western Expressway.
However, after the closure of the Omgok Bridge underground passage (toward Seongsan Bridge → Iljik direction), traffic congestion intensified. Concerns arose that further construction could exacerbate traffic congestion.
In response, the Seoul city government decided to delay the closure dates for the Gwangmyeong Bridge and Ogeum Bridge underground passages. They plan to expedite the completion of the currently ongoing Omgok Bridge underground passage construction. The target, initially set for completion by June next year, has been advanced to November this year, shortening the timeline by seven months.
A city official stated, "This schedule adjustment is a measure to alleviate traffic congestion in the short term and reduce inconvenience for citizens," adding that "in the long term, it is part of the process to create a pedestrian-centered safe road environment and alleviate regional disconnection."