Gyeonggi Province Freezes Tolls on 3 Privately-Funded Roads...Second Measure Following Bus Fare Freeze

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] Gyeonggi Province has decided to freeze tolls on 3 privately-funded roads managed by the province following the bus fare freeze to ease the burden on ordinary citizens' livelihoods.

According to the province on the 31st, for the second consecutive year following last year, tolls will not be raised on 3 privately-funded roads—'Ilsan Grand Bridge', 'Third Gyeonggyeong Expressway', and 'Seo-Suwon to Uiwang Expressway'—managed by the province.

This is the second public utility price freeze measure following the bus fare freeze in February.

Gyeonggi Province explained that it made the decision to freeze tolls based on the judgment that it must alleviate the burden on ordinary citizens' livelihoods, which have become difficult due to sharp price increases.

The 3 privately-funded roads for which Gyeonggi Province is the competent authority must adjust tolls annually to reflect changes in the consumer price index in accordance with the implementation agreement concluded between the province and private project operators.

In particular, as factors for toll increases emerged due to sharp price increases beginning last year, private project operators filed a '2023 Toll Adjustment Report' with Gyeonggi Province proposing toll increases ranging from 100 won to 400 won across all vehicle types.

However, the province submitted a draft opinion containing toll freeze measures to the Gyeonggi Province Council on March 7, taking into account the increased burden on household budgets of ordinary citizens.

The Gyeonggi Province Council agreed with the policy's intent but presented the opinion that "careful review is necessary considering the province's fiscal situation and the ordinary citizens' economy."

In response, the province explained that for the Seo-Suwon to Uiwang Expressway, it minimized toll increases through revenue recovery, the first such case nationwide, and will continue to examine various measures to reduce the province's fiscal burden and suppress toll increases.

Due to the toll freeze, Gyeonggi Province will not issue a separate notice.

Beginning April 1, the 3 private road operators plan to inform users of this freeze through electronic message boards and other means.