What are the solutions for traffic congestion in Eco Delta City?
Eco Delta City, currently underway in Gangseo-gu, Busan, is a large-scale urban development set to begin full occupancy in 2025. However, there are serious concerns about traffic congestion due to the severely insufficient transportation infrastructure in this area once occupancy begins.
The positive aspect is that Jangnak Bridge, Eomeong Bridge, and Daejeo Bridge are currently under development. However, measures to connect with the Garak IC of the Second Namhae Expressway are also necessary. In particular, the construction of the bridge along the Garak-Sasang road (approximately 1 km) should be urgently carried out.
Eco Delta City to begin full occupancy from 2025
Several apartment complexes are scheduled for occupancy in Eco Delta City. The major apartment complexes include E-Pyunhan World Eco Delta Center Point with 953 units in April 2025, Gangseo Xi Eco Delta with 856 units in May 2025, Eco Delta City Prugio Center Park with 972 units in June 2025, and Eco Delta City Prugio Lin with 886 units in October 2025.
Additionally, continuous development of residential and commercial facilities is taking place in this area, and it is expected that approximately 76,000 new residents will move in by 2028. This is anticipated to have a positive impact on local development.
Currently, the roads leading to Eco Delta City are mostly limited to Eco Daero and Nakdong Nam-ro. The area around Gangseo Police Station is already experiencing severe traffic congestion, and due to the lack of direct connections to the airport road, residents have to detour to Myeongji IC, causing inconvenience.
To go to Changwon, Masan, and Jinju through Garak IC, there is inconvenience of having to pass over Gangdong Bridge to the north. This can cause discomfort while traveling.
Traffic issues and solutions in Eco Delta City
1. Urgent need for construction of the East-West 4-1 Axis (Garak-Sasang Road)
Currently, there is an increasing commuting demand between central Busan and Gimhae and Changwon, but there is a lack of a road network to effectively accommodate this. In particular, the quick construction of the Sasang-Garak road, which is part of the East-West 4-1 Axis, is required.
The section of the East-West 4-1 Axis consists of 19.6 km connecting from Daeyeon to Gamjeon, passing through Gimhae Airport to Gangseo. Once this road is completed, it will form an important arterial road connecting Jangyu, Garak, Gimhae Airport, Sasang, Daeyeon, and Namcheon-dong directly.
As a result, this route is expected to facilitate smoother movement between Gimhae, Changwon, and Busan.
There is an increasing necessity for a bridge connecting the sections of Bongrim-dong Joman-ro and Gangdong-dong Jojeong Gyeonggi Center, which is part of the Garak-Sasang Road. Once this bridge is completed, accessibility between Eco Delta City in Gangseo-gu and the Jangyu, Yulha, and New Port areas in Gimhae will be significantly improved. Furthermore, travel to Changwon, Jinju, and Busan through Garak IC is expected to become easier. Bridge construction is anticipated to play a significant role in regional development.
2. Realistic difficulties in constructing the Eco Delta IC on the Namhae Expressway
The Eco Delta City IC was reviewed during the establishment of the metropolitan transportation improvement plan in 2013. However, due to expected worsening traffic congestion on the Second Namhae Expressway, the addition of the IC was excluded as a result of consultations between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Expressway Corporation.
By 2028, the level of traffic service is predicted to drop from Level D to Level F. It is estimated that about 100 billion KRW will be required to establish the IC, and more than 200 billion KRW will be required for the expansion of the main line of the Second Namhae Expressway. Consequently, the burden on residents is expected to increase, which may lead to decreased overall project viability of the EDC and increased development costs, raising concerns of backlash from residents.
Currently, instead of establishing the IC on the Namhae Expressway, including plans for IC establishment in the metropolitan transportation improvement plan during the progress of the second Eco Delta City is being considered as a more realistic alternative. However, since the second Eco Delta City project has not yet started, there are currently no definitive plans in this regard.
Busan City needs swift expansion of transportation infrastructure
Currently, the transportation infrastructure in Eco Delta City cannot sufficiently accommodate future traffic demands. It is expected that the anticipated vehicle traffic will exceed 200,000 per day, thus the construction of the Garak-Sasang Road, which is part of the East-West 4-1 Axis, and Joman-ro bridge is urgent.
As of now, there are no confirmed related promotion plans, but Busan City needs to set up a specific plan for constructing this road network. Furthermore, it should strive for prompt commencement of the project through active cooperation with the central government and related agencies. Improving transportation infrastructure will play a critical role in the development of Eco Delta City.
Long-term transportation measures are essential to coincide with the opening of the new airport in Gadeokdo. The ongoing construction of the Busan New Port-Gimhae Expressway currently lacks direct connections to the Second Namhae Expressway. Therefore, once the Gadeokdo New Airport is completed, it will be necessary to utilize the Bongrim Intersection and use the Gyeongbuk IC of the Busan New Port-Gimhae Expressway via Garak IC.
Furthermore, for Eco Delta City to establish itself as a true future city, it must not merely be a residential development; the expansion of transportation infrastructure must accompany it. Only with such transportation measures will smoother mobility and regional development be achieved.
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