Seoul to waive Namsan tunnel tolls for southbound traffic

Cars pass through the toll gate after passing Namsan Tunnel No. 1 in the direction of downtown Seoul on Thursday. [NEWS1]

Tolls will be waived starting mid-January when exiting downtown through Namsan tunnels in Seoul. However, fees will still be levied when entering downtown.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Thursday that it will continue levying tolls of 2,000 won ($1.5) for those entering downtown through Namsan Tunnel Nos. 1 and 3 but not for those traveling the opposite way. This marks the first time in 27 years that such fees have been lifted since they were imposed on November 11, 1996. Drivers passing through the tunnels from both sides have had to pay the same fee since then.

The latest measure will take effect on Jan. 15.

The city has been charging 2,000 won to all cars carrying fewer than three people passing through Namsan Tunnels Nos. 1 and 3 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. Exceptions include public buses and cargo trucks. The measure aims to prevent rush-hour traffic congestion by encouraging more drivers to use the bottleneck passageway before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m.

From 1996 to 2021, tunnel traffic dropped around 20 percent, from about 90,400 cars daily to 71,900. The average speed of vehicles passing through the tunnels also increased from 21.6 kilometers per hour (13.4 miles per hour) to 38.2 kilometers per hour in the same period.

However, criticism of the effectiveness of daytime tolls and the toll's failure to reflect inflation prompted the city government to examine the impact of such fees last year.

The city government temporarily stopped collecting tolls for two months, from March 17 to May 16 last year. In the first month, tolls were waived for southbound traffic through the tunnels and for southbound and northbound traffic in the second month.

During this period, traffic congestion increased by around 5.2 percent when tolls were waived for southbound traffic in the first month. When tolls on both sides were waived, traffic congestion rose by 12.9 percent. Traffic on major roads in downtown Seoul, including Sogong-ro and Euljiro, saw traffic speed dropping by as low as 13 percent in the second month.

Based on the two-month experiment and expert consultations, the city government decided to maintain the price after confirming the effect of imposing the fees and only levying them for northbound traffic coming into downtown Seoul. The city government referred to the improved conditions on northbound roads from the tunnel, including the expansion of Hannam Bridge, as another factor in waiving the fee.

Despite the decision, the city government promised to monitor the traffic near the tunnel continuously.

“As the measure that has played a role in reducing the use of personal cars and promoting public transportation changes for the first time in about 27 years, we will make continuous efforts to reflect the current transportation environment and garner public understanding,” said Yoon Jong-jang, director of the city’s transportation bureau.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]