Gyeonggi Province Puts Hold on Toll Increase for 3 Private-Sector Managed Roads

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 1st that it will put on hold toll increases at 3 private-sector managed roads under provincial management this year: the Ilsan Bridge, the Third Gyeonggin Expressway, and the Seo-Suwon~Uiwang Expressway.

This measure was taken based on the judgment that the province should ease the burden on the common people's economy by actively aligning with the government's price stabilization policies such as fuel tax cuts and public utility fee freezes.

According to implementation agreements reached between Gyeonggi Province and private-sector operators, tolls on these 3 roads are adjusted annually to reflect changes in the consumer price index.

In particular, this year's sharp rise in prices has indeed created factors for toll increases.

Consequently, private-sector operators filed the "2022 Toll Adjustment Report" containing toll increase details with Gyeonggi Province, and the province submitted a request for opinions on the matter to the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly in accordance with procedures outlined in the implementation agreement.

Afterwards, the province agreed with and accepted the Provincial Assembly's view that "given the difficult economy for ordinary people due to rising oil prices and COVID-19, the timing of toll increases should be delayed," and ultimately decided to put the matter on hold.

With this decision, users of the 3 private-sector managed roads this year will pay the same tolls as last year with no additional costs.

Yoon Seok-tae, head of the Road Policy Division, said "toll increases at 3 private-sector managed roads including Ilsan Bridge are not advisable given the current economic situation of ordinary people, and Gyeonggi Province does not want them either," adding "going forward, we plan to actively negotiate with project operators and adjust the timing of increases by considering economic conditions such as price fluctuations."