Namyangju City Requests Swift Improvement for Sudong Rest Area Convenience on Seoul Capital Area Outer Ring Expressway

[Suwon Ilbo=Eom In-yong] Namyangju City announced on the 1st that it has requested the project operator to establish action plans and improvements regarding citizen complaints related to facility management negligence at the Sudong Rest Area (Hwado direction) on the Seoul Capital Area Outer Ring Expressway.

Recently, the rest area has experienced defects including toilet malfunctions, drainage cover damage, and slope soil erosion. However, repairs have been delayed due to court receivership proceedings against Shindonga Construction, the contractor, making it urgent to establish countermeasures against safety accident risks.

Accordingly, the city made an official request to Pocheon Hwado Expressway Co., Ltd., the project operator, on the 26th of last month for prompt problem resolution.

In response, the project operator plans to begin restroom repair work from the 2nd and sequentially implement reinforcement work to address damages, while completing drainage cover and slope protection work by mid-month.

Kim Young-kyung, director of the city's Road Construction Division, said, "As traffic volume has increased following the opening of the Seoul Capital Area Outer Ring Expressway, the need for management of infrastructure such as rest areas is growing," adding, "We will do our best to cooperate closely with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the project operator to ensure prompt repairs and improvement of the user environment so that inconvenience to citizens does not persist."