Smart highways planned for South Korea

A new transport plan is envisaged for South Korea that involves the construction of a smart highway network. The aim of the programme is to optimise transport efficiency and capacity, with charging facilities for electric vehicles also included in the plans. South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport intends to add a further 1,000km of highways to the country’s overall network. Once the new highways are open to traffic South Korea will have a total highway network in excess of 5,100km.
September 2, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

A new transport plan is envisaged for South Korea that involves the construction of a smart highway network. The aim of the programme is to optimise transport efficiency and capacity, with charging facilities for electric vehicles also included in the plans. South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport intends to add a further 1,000km of highways to the country’s overall network. Once the new highways are open to traffic South Korea will have a total highway network in excess of 5,100km. The aim of this programme is to boost access to highways for the country’s citizens so that 96% of the population will be within a 30 minute drive (or less) of a highway. The new links should be complete by 2020 and the plan will also help tackle congestion on sections of highway currently prone to traffic delays.

The new smart highways will feature modern drive through tolling technology as well as having the capabilities required to handle driverless vehicles. The new highways will also have sufficient charging facilities to allow electric vehicles to make long distance journeys across the country. The South Korean Government is setting a budget of US$33 billion for the plans, with private financing of almost a similar scale envisaged to complete the funding necessary for such a large scale programme.

Road Structures

Related Content

  • IRF World Congress: moving ahead
    October 18, 2024
    On the last day of the three-day IRF World Congress in Istanbul, attendees heard what can work best, what can be improved and what the future might hold for those pursuing sustainable goals. David Arminas reports.
    Read More
  • China looks to the future with major highway plans
    February 15, 2012
    China is still moving ahead with plans that will give it the world's biggest highway system. Patrick Smith reports. As China's economy grows even more, keeping the country on the move has become a priority for the government. While the country has made great strides over the past decade in improving its infrastructure, the number of vehicles has also increased rapidly, and in some instances restrictions have been placed on them.
    Read More
  • Further development for Morocco infrastructure
    August 26, 2016
    Further infrastructure development is planned for Morocco. The authorities in the town of Salé are planning an urban development programme, with new and wider roads seen as a key portion of the work. Salé lies immediately to the north of Morocco’s capital Rabat and is home to many commuters working in the capital. Improving the transport links in the area will help develop the local economy and the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Finances have set a budget of over US$516 million for the work. T
    Read More
  • A new transportation project for Northern Southeast Asia
    March 2, 2022
    Transport in Northern Southeast Asia is to benefit from a new US$145 million project
    Read More

Highlighted Content