Busan–Geoje Fixed Link

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Busan–Geoje Fixed Link
Carries NR 58
Locale Busan, South Korea
Design Bridge-tunnel
Total length 8.2 kilometers (5.1 mi)
Longest span 475 meters (1,558 ft)
Coordinates 35°0′57.2″N 128°44′39″E / 35.015889°N 128.74417°E / 35.015889; 128.74417

The Busan–Geoje Fixed Link is an 8.2 kilometers (5.1 mi) bridge-tunnel fixed link that connects the South Korean city of Busan to Geoje Island. The name of the bridge is Geoga Bridge (거가 대교). The route opened on December 13, 2010[citation needed] and shortens the travelling distance between Geoje Island and Busan by about 60 kilometers (37 mi). The new road has two lanes in each direction and carries National Road 58.[1]

The fixed link opens Geoje Island to tourist-related development and saves US$300 million in costs related to traffic delays from the longer route.[2]

Design and construction

The bridge was built under a public-private partnership. GK Fixed Link Corp, a consortium of seven Korean contractors, has a 40-year contract to build, operate and transfer the fixed link. The project is planned to cost $1.8 billion (US). The government has provided only one-fourth of the cost; the rest is financed by the consortium to be repaid by tolls during the life of the contract. The lead contractor in the consortium is Daewoo Engineering & Construction, Co.[3]

Designers involved with the project include COWI A/S (Denmark), Halcrow Group (United Kingdom), Tunnel Engineering Consultants (Netherlands), Pihl and Son (Denmark), Arcadis US (USA), and Ben C. Gerwick (USA).[3]

Route

map of Busan–Geoje Bridge

The route connects Busan, Korea's largest port city, to the shipbuilding industries and tourism destinations on Geoje Island.[4] It replaces either a three and one half-hour journey by road or a two-hour journey by ferry. The new route cuts travel time down to forty minutes.[5]

The fixed link starts on Geoje Island, crosses three islets (Jeo, Jungjuk and Daejuk) and ends on Gaduk Island. In addition to the tunnel between Daejuk and Gaduk islands, a tunnel is used to cross each of the islets.

Bridge 1

The 1.87 km (1.16 mi) bridge between Jungjuk and Jeo islands includes a cable-stayed bridge with a 475 m (1,558 ft) main span and 220 m (720 ft) side spans. This bridge provides 52 meters (171 ft) of navigational clearance and has two 156 m (512 ft) diamond-shaped pylons.[6]

Bridge 2

Between Geoje and Jeo islands, a 1.65 km (1.03 mi) bridge includes a three-pylon cable-stay bridge. This bridge has two mainspans of 230 meters (750 ft) with side spans of 106 meters (348 ft). The pylons are 102 meters (335 ft) tall and there is 36 meters (118 ft) of clearance underneath the bridge.[6]

Tunnel

When it opened, the tunnel became the world’s deepest immersed roadway tunnel (48 meters (157 ft) below mean water level) and the world’s second-longest concrete immersed tunnel, at 3.2 kilometers (2.0 mi).[3] It is Korea's first immersed tunnel.[7] It will become the second deepest immersed tunnel of any use after completion of the Marmaray (Bosphorus rail tunnel) in 2013.[4]

The tunnel is made up of 180 m (590 ft) segments constructed in a drydock in Anjeon. Each segment was towed 35 kilometers (22 mi) by barges and sunk into place.[8]

A small city across a gray waterway under lowering gray clouds. A road leads to the city across a causeway. Mountains with snow and a low treeline form the backdrop. A few boats are in the water.
Busan–Geoje Fixed Link

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Yeoward 2010, p. 26.
  2. ↑ Cho 2009, p. 25.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cho 2009, p. 24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Rowson 2009.
  5. ↑ Halcrow project video (wmv), 1:04 minutes.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Fraser 2008.
  7. ↑ Halcrow project video (wmv), 29 seconds.
  8. ↑ Cho 2009, p. 26.

External links

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