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Incheon Cheongna Sky Bridge traffic tops 10 million, fueling 29.2 billion won damages suit
En breve
Cumulative traffic on the Cheongna Sky Bridge in Incheon passed 10 million vehicles about eight months after it opened on January 5, reaching 10.6 million by the end of September. Incheon City must compensate the operators of the two older private bridges for lost toll revenue, and the operator of the Yeongjong Bridge has filed a 29.2 billion won lawsuit against the city and the transport ministry. The city and the ministry also differ widely on the total compensation figure.
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Cumulative traffic on the Cheongna Sky Bridge, the third bridge linking Yeongjongdo, where Incheon International Airport sits, to the mainland, reached 10.6 million vehicles by the end of September, about eight months after it opened on January 5, according to the Incheon Economic Free Zone Authority. The bridge passed the 10 million mark on September 18, and monthly traffic rose from about 950,000 vehicles in its first month to 1.37 million last month. [ 1 , 2 ]
The growth is a problem for Incheon City. Under an agreement signed with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in December 2020, the city must compensate the operators of the two existing private bridges, the Yeongjong Bridge and the Incheon Bridge, for revenue lost as traffic shifts to the new public bridge. The more traffic the new bridge carries, the larger the compensation becomes. [ 1 , 2 ]
Shin Airport Highway, which operates the Incheon Airport Expressway including the Yeongjong Bridge, filed a lawsuit at Seoul Administrative Court on September 10 against the ministry and Incheon City, seeking about 29.2 billion won in compensation plus overdue interest. The company put its losses at 12.95 billion won in the first quarter and 16.28 billion won in the second quarter. [ 1 , 2 ]
The Incheon Economic Free Zone Authority, which manages the new bridge, says a 2017 agreement means compensation is payable only if more than 30 percent of the existing bridges' traffic shifted to the new bridge. It says the shift from the Incheon Bridge was minimal and therefore not eligible for payment. An authority official said there is room to dispute the calculation standards and the appropriateness of the amounts claimed, and that it will set an internal position and respond actively to the suit. [ 1 , 2 ]
The two sides also differ on the total bill. Incheon City's estimate of compensation through 2039 is 296.7 billion won, while the transport ministry's figure is 1.23 trillion won, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun. The authority said it is running a study to calculate the losses and is seeking to minimise the city's compensation burden. [ 1 , 2 ]
Of the 10.6 million crossings recorded by the end of September, 5.9 million were by Incheon residents, who cross free of charge, and 4.7 million by non-residents paying a 2,000 won toll for small cars one way. [ 2 ]
Por qué importa
The dispute sets how much Incheon pays private bridge operators for traffic diverted to a new public bridge, a cost the city has estimated at 296.7 billion won through 2039 while the transport ministry puts it at 1.23 trillion won. The outcome of the administrative suit could shape the city's finances and the terms on which future public infrastructure competes with existing private concessions.
Datos clave
- The Cheongna Sky Bridge (third mainland connection bridge) linking Yeongjongdo and Cheongna International City opened on January 5. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Cumulative traffic reached 10.6 million vehicles by the end of September, after passing 10 million on September 18, according to Incheon Economic Free Zone Authority. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Monthly traffic rose from about 950,000 vehicles in the first month to 1.37 million last month. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Under a December 2020 agreement with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Incheon City must compensate existing private bridges for lost toll revenue caused by the new bridge. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Shin Airport Highway, operator of the Incheon Airport Expressway including the Yeongjong Bridge, filed a lawsuit at Seoul Administrative Court seeking about 29.2 billion won from the ministry and Incheon City. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The authority says compensation is payable only if more than 30 percent of the existing bridges' traffic shifted to the new bridge, and that the shift from the Incheon Bridge was minimal. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Of the 10.6 million crossings, 5.9 million were by Incheon residents, who travel free, and 4.7 million by non-residents paying a 2,000 won toll for small cars one way. [ 2 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- The Cheongna Sky Bridge opened on January 5 and its cumulative traffic reached 10.6 million vehicles by the end of September. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Incheon City bears an obligation under a December 2020 agreement with the transport ministry to compensate existing bridges for lost revenue. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Shin Airport Highway filed a suit seeking about 29.2 billion won in compensation against the ministry and Incheon City. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Incheon Economic Free Zone Authority says compensation can be paid only if more than 30 percent of existing bridge traffic shifted to the new bridge. [ 1 , 2 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- The total size of the compensation Incheon may owe: the city estimates 296.7 billion won through 2039, while the transport ministry estimates 1.23 trillion won. The two figures come from a single document and the documents do not explain the gap, which the authority says leaves room for dispute over calculation standards.
- Whether traffic shifted from the Incheon Bridge meets the 30 percent threshold. Only the Incheon Economic Free Zone Authority's position is reported; no figure for the actual diversion rate is given.
- The outcome of the administrative lawsuit and the result of the authority's loss-calculation study. Both are still pending according to the documents.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- The Cheongna Sky Bridge opens, linking Yeongjongdo and Cheongna International City. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Shin Airport Highway files a suit at Seoul Administrative Court against the transport ministry and Incheon City seeking about 29.2 billion won for first- and second-quarter losses. [ 2 ]
- Cumulative traffic on the bridge passes 10 million vehicles. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo publishes its report on the traffic milestone and the compensation dispute. [ 1 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes its report, including the differing city and ministry compensation estimates. [ 2 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes a second version of the story. [ 3 ]