Road improvements along the Olympic-daero Balsan Station exit cut commute times; traffic flow upgraded at Daea apartment complex and Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station intersection
Seoul's Gangseo-gu said it completed road improvement work on May 23 along a chronically congested stretch of Gangseo-ro — running from Olympic-daero through the Gayang underpass to the Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station intersection — near the Olympic-daero exit toward Balsan Station.
The district particularly targeted the intersection in front of the Daea apartment complex (Gayang-dong 1457-6), where severe vehicle backups had recurred during every rush hour. Authorities added a straight-through lane toward Magok Industrial Complex and extended the green-light duration for through traffic, significantly improving convenience for residents.
The Olympic-daero on- and off-ramps toward Balsan Station sit closest to Magok Industrial Complex, and traffic volumes there have climbed steadily as development in the Magok district nears completion. The resulting shortage of through lanes at the Gayang underpass, the Daea apartment intersection and the approach to Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station had caused persistent gridlock, leaving residents with lengthy daily delays.
The district began drawing up a site-specific traffic improvement plan in 2024 and consulted with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other relevant agencies, while also gathering public comment.
The key improvements include expanding straight-through lanes at the Gayang underpass from one to two, increasing through lanes at the Daea apartment intersection from two to three, and extending the green-light cycle for through traffic at the Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station intersection by four seconds.
At the same time, the existing U-turn lane on the Daea apartment side was kept intact — achieved by slightly narrowing the adjacent sidewalk — to minimize disruption to residents using Olympic-daero.
The works are expected to ease congestion along Gangseo-ro between Olympic-daero and Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station. With greater through-traffic capacity at both the Daea apartment intersection and the Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station intersection, vehicle flow in and out of the Magok district is expected to improve markedly, along with the overall commuting environment for local residents.
"Thanks to actively listening to residents and moving quickly to coordinate with relevant agencies, we were able to complete the project several months ahead of schedule," district mayor Jin Kyo-hoon said. "We will continue to work closely with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to pursue on-the-ground traffic improvements wherever residents face inconvenience."
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