roads. This has a positive influence by improving the atmospheric environment in the region. The project attempted to promote the urban economy through amplifying urban infrastructure for a competitive city in the business and industrial area centered on the stream. The urban renewal project was the catalyst of revitalization in downtown Seoul. Cheonggyecheon became a centre for cultural and economic activities. Cheonggyecheon restoration work brought balance to the areas south and north of the stream. During the modernization era, downtown Seoul was divided into two parts, north–south, based on their features and function. The restoration helped to join these parts to create a new urban structure connecting the cultural and environmental resources in northern and southern areas of the stream (Hwang n.d.), resulting in a balanced and sustainable development of northern and southern areas of the Han River. The project sped up traffic around the city when the motorway was removed. It has been cited as a real-life example of Braess's paradox. Cost Budgeted at 349 billion won, the final cost of the project was over 386 billion won (approximately US$281 million). Some Korean environmental organizations have criticized its high costs and lack of ecological and historical authenticity, calling it purely symbolic and not truly beneficial to the city's eco-environment. Instead of using the restoration as an instrument of urban development the environmental organizations have called for a gradual long-term ecological and historical recovery of the entire Cheonggyecheon stream basin and its ecological system. The cost of managing Cheonggyecheon has been rising every year. From October 2005 to the end of 2016, maintenance and management cost of Cheonggyecheon totalled 85.7 billion won, which averaged out to 7.1 billion won per year. Gallery See also Rivers of Korea Daylighting, the process of revealing rivers which have previously been covered over as part of urban development Seoul Peace Market Gwangjang Market Gwanghwamun Plaza Seoul Plaza Notes Further reading External links Rivers of Seoul Tourist attractions in Seoul Demolished highways Geography of Jung District, Seoul Geography of Jongno District Urban public parks Redeveloped ports and waterfronts in South Korea Linear parks