Image: City of Ulsan ()
The city of Ulsan is contemplating whether to raise the toll on Ulsan Bridge, which connects Nam-gu and Dong-gu.
Tolls for the Ulsan Bridge and the access road are adjusted on April 1 every year to reflect changes in the consumer price index, according to an agreement signed with Ulsan Harbor Bridge, a private operator.
Currently, the toll collection section consists of two routes, the entire section (Maeam intersection to Yeomposan office) and the Ulsan bridge section (Maeam intersection to the former office). The section of the Yeompo Mountain Tunnel (Asan-ro to Yeompo Mountain Sales Office) became free from January 1 this year.
Small car drivers pay 1,800 won, mid-sized car drivers 2,700 won, and large car drivers 3,600 won.
The tolls for the Ulsan Bridge and its access roads, which opened in June 2015, have been frozen for five years after an increase in 2017 because, despite rising prices, the city compensated the operator for losses to minimize the burden on citizens.
However, since the ‘Yeompo Mountain Tunnel Section’ was made free of charge in January of this year, the operator’s burden has increased significantly, and it is expected that the maintenance cost will further increase in the future due to the increase in traffic volume in the Yeompo Mountain Tunnel Section.
According to the National Statistical Office, the consumer price index rose 5.1% year-on-year last year, which is a large increase compared to 2020 (0.5%) and 2021 (2.5%), which is acting as a cause of pressure for this toll increase.
