South Korea Plans To Build Network of Smart Expressway in 2020

South Korea revealed a plan to build a network of smart expressway which will include new road sections that charge electric vehicles as they go.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korean government will also build an additional 1,000 kilometers of expressway which will extend the total length to 5,131 kilometers in 2020 based on the envisioned plan.

The ministry said that the new expressways will create a complete network of roads where 96 percent of the country's population can access the expressway within 30 minutes from their homes. It will also make 78.2 percent of the country's total area accessible by an expressway, up from the current 70.7 percent.

The plan also includes reducing sections of expressways that are currently prone to traffic jams by 41 percent to 2,306 kilometers. However, the new roads to be built will also include arterial roads designed to lessen traffic on major sections of expressways.

The government will also develop a so-called smart tolling system. It is unlike the existing Hi-pass system because it does not require large tolling booths or a reduction of driving speed to further help decrease the traffic situation in the country.

By 2018, all major rest areas on expressways will be equipped with electric vehicle charging stations, while the country will install the Cooperative Intelligent Transport System that is a pre-requisite to the operation of self-driving cars on all expressways by 2020.

By 2020, the South Korean roads will also feature various functions for smart, environmentally friendly vehicles as the country moves to commercialize autonomous or self-driving cars.

Furthermore, the government will spend 37 trillion won (US$33.1 billion) over the next five years, while also gaining an additional 35 trillion won in private investment.