New underpass opens at Gwanchok rail crossing in Nonsan, South Chungcheong

The Korea Rail Network Authority announced Tuesday that it has completed a grade-separation project at the Gwanchok rail crossing in Nonsan and opened a new underpass.

The existing Gwanchok crossing was a flat, at-grade intersection where the railway and road crossed at the same level, forcing vehicles and pedestrians to stop whenever a train passed. The layout had long drawn calls for improvement to reduce the risk of crossing accidents and ease chronic traffic congestion.

In response, the authority and Nonsan city jointly undertook the project starting in 2020, investing a total of 37.5 billion won ($24.3 million) — 75 percent from the national government and 25 percent from local funds — to demolish the existing crossing and build a new underpass 170 meters long and 15 meters wide.

With the underpass now open, the railway and road are fully separated on different levels. The change is expected to significantly reduce the risk of crossing accidents and eliminate vehicle congestion caused by passing trains, greatly improving traffic conditions for local residents.

"We expect the grade-separation project to substantially enhance the safety and travel convenience of local residents," said Heo Jin-hyo, head of the authority's Chungcheong regional office. "We will continue to improve everyday railway facilities to help raise the quality of life for communities across the region."