Gangwon State clears 9 preliminary feasibility reviews for national and local roads, second-highest nationwide

[Financial News, Chuncheon = Reporter Kim Gi-seop] Gangwon State has secured a foundation to push ahead with road projects worth nearly 1 trillion won.
According to the Gangwon State Government on the 27th, the Ministry of Planning and Budget held the 7th Fiscal Investment Review Committee meeting on the 26th and deliberated and approved the results of the 6th comprehensive preliminary feasibility review for national and local roads. Nine projects in the province passed the review. Out of 142 projects nationwide, 54 passed, and Gangwon State secured the second-largest number after South Gyeongsang Province, laying the groundwork for road projects worth a total of 989.5 billion won.
The projects that passed the review are the Chuncheon Seo-myeon to Sinbuk bypass road, Wonju Munmak to Heungeop, Hoengseong Gapcheon to Cheongil, Yeongwol Mungok to Yeondeok, Yeongwol Jinbyeol to Naeri, Yeongwol Jucheon to Pyeongchang County, Pyeongchang Jungri to Noron, Jeongseon Yeoryang to Imgye, and Hwacheon Sanae to Chuncheon Sabuk. The nine projects cover a total of 58.2 kilometers and include a balanced mix of new construction, expansion and upgrades tailored to local road conditions and traffic demand.
The largest project by budget is the Chuncheon Seo-myeon to Sinbuk bypass road, a 10.5-kilometer route worth 365.1 billion won. Once the Second Gyeongchun National Road opens, it will connect with National Route 46 and divert traffic from the Anburi area, where bottlenecks are expected, toward Yongsan-ri. It is seen as a key section that will complete Chuncheon's ring road network by linking the disconnected Seo-myeon circulation route. The Wonju Munmak to Heungeop section, which has long suffered from chronic congestion, will be widened to six lanes to fundamentally ease the bottleneck. The Hoengseong Gapcheon to Cheongil section, spanning 10.7 kilometers and costing 81.9 billion won, will be linked with Hoengseong Lake Road, improving safety on a stretch frequently used by tourists.

During the selection process, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs Shin Won-cheol attended the fiscal investment review subcommittee meeting held over two days starting July 20, explained the need for the projects, and asked for support. The efforts of the provincial leadership and staff from the Construction and Transportation Bureau are being credited for helping the projects pass the review.
However, the alternative bypass road for National Route 7 was not selected this time. National Route 7, which connects Samcheok, Gangneung and Sokcho, was finalized 40 years ago, and congestion in urban sections is severe, making improvements urgent. Still, it failed to overcome the hurdle of low economic viability. The province plans to refine the proposal and try again, while also suggesting partial improvements through bottleneck-relief projects separate from the national and local road construction plan. In addition, it is continuing consultations with the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to have five additional routes in the province reflected in the non-feasibility-review category for projects costing less than 50 billion won.
Gangwon State Governor Woo Sang-ho said, "The inclusion of nine projects in the national plan was achieved through the combined efforts of local residents, the National Assembly and the province," adding, "We are deeply disappointed that 14 projects were left out, but we will prepare more refined alternatives and steadily persuade the government."
[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter