PURPOSES : This study sought ways to connect urban above ground roads and underground roads to utilize urban space more efficiently in the development of underground roads, which are currently under development in order to alleviate problems caused by oversaturated above-ground roads. A simulation analysis was performed to develop an operation strategy that connects above-ground and underground roads to prevent congestion in above-ground areas such as entrances and exits from transferring to underground roads as well as to present its effectiveness. METHODS : Traffic efficiency analysis according to the operation strategy of above ground and underground roads was conducted using VISSIM, a microscopic traffic simulation software. The functions implemented in VISSIM were collected to set effectiveness analysis indicators for each underground road operation strategy. The Shinwol-Yeoui Underground Road was selected as the spatial scope of this study, and a surrounding road network was constructed. In addition, full-scale simulation analysis preparations were completed by performing network calibration based on the actual traffic attribute data of underground and surrounding surface roads within the construction scope. Accordingly, a traffic efficiency evaluation analysis was conducted based on the underground road operation strategy. CONCLUSIONS : Information on the increase in traffic volume within the Shinwol-Yeoui underpass was collected every 15 min. The analysis was divided into an analysis of the traffic situation within the underpass through demand control when the service level reached level D and an analysis of when demand control was not performed. It was found that demand control was necessary for the Shinwol-Yeoui Underpass when the internal traffic volume reached 2,500 vehicles/h. In addition, to analyze the spread of traffic and congestion owing to the weaving phenomenon caused by lane changes in the underpass, an analysis was conducted to observe the traffic improvement effect when full lane changes are possible for the Shinwol-Yeoui Underground Road, which currently has some lane-change-permitted sections. The analysis showed that both the maximum traffic volume and average travel speed showed better results when lane changes were allowed, and the communication situation at Yeoui JCT was found optimal.