Matsuyama Expressway

The Matsuyama Expressway (松山自動車道 Matsuyama Jidōsha-dō) is an expressway running in the northwestern and western parts of the island of Shikoku and entirely in the Ehime Prefecture. It passes through the municipalities of Shikokuchūō, Niihama, Saijō, Tōon, Matsuyama, a tiny portion of northern Tobe, Iyo, Uchiko, Ōzu and Seiyo.

The superhighway runs within the northwestern part of the island near the bay and south of the communities and runs through the mountain range and through the valley area to south of Matsuyama. The expressway passes through the mountain ranges and into a valley area and another large tunnel southward.

History

• March 27, 1985 – Expressway opened from Mishima-Kawanoe Junction to Doi Interchange
• December 16, 1987 – Kawanoe Junction opened connecting with the Takamatsu Expressway
• March 28, 1991 – a section from Doi to Iyo Saijō interchanges opened
• March 1991 – Route 56 from Ōzu South to Ōzu-Tomisu Interchanges opened bypassing Ōzu.
• January 30, 1992 – Kawanoe Junction opened with the Kochi Expressway
• March 1993 – a section of Route 56 from Ōzu-Tomisu to Ōzu North Interchanges opened bypassing Ōzu in its entirely
• November 16, 1994 – a section from Iyo Saijō to Kawauchi Interchanges opened
• February 26, 1997 – a section from Kawauchi to Iyo Interchange opened
• March 1998 – Route 56 from Uwajima Sakashita Tsu to Uwajima South Interchanges opened
• July 3, 1999 – The Iyo Komatsu Interchange became a junction and connected with the Imabari Komatsu Expressway
• July 28, 2000 – a section from Iyo to Ōzu Interchange opened
• March 29, 2002 – Route 56 of the Ōzu Route from Ōzu to Ōzu North Interchanges opened
• March 6, 2004 – a section from Iyo Saijō and Matsuyama interchanges became 4-laned.
• April 17, 2004, a section from Ōzu-Kitatada to Seiyo-Uwa Interchanges opened and added several tunnels as well.
• July 9, 2005 – a section of Route 56 (Uwajima Route) from Uwajima Asahi to Uwajima Sakashita Tsu Interchanges opened

Divisions

• Kawanoe – Iyo-Saijō Interchanges – 4 lanes – 100 km/h
• Iyo Saijō – Kawauchi Interchanges – 4 lanes – 80 km/h
• Kawauchi – Matsuyama Interchanges – 4 lanes – 100 km/h
• Matsuyama – Seiyo Interchanges – 2 lanes – 70 km/h (except for from Ōzu North to Ōzu Interchanges which is part of Route 56)

Interchanges

• 6 – Kawanoe Junction with the Takamatsu and the KochiExpressways
• Parking area
• 7 – Mishima-Kawanoe Interchange and service station (Route 11)
• 8 – Doi Interchange (Route 11)
• 9 – Niihama Interchange (Ehime Prefectural Road 47, Niihama – Besshiyama)
• 10 – Iyo Saijō Interchange (Route 11)
• 11 – Iyo Komatsu Junction with the Imabari-Komatsu Expressway
• 12 – Kawauchi Interchange (Route 11)
• 13 – Matsuyama Interchange (Route 33)
• 14 – Iyo Interchange (Route 56)
• Uchiko Parking Area
• 15 – Uchiko-Ikazaki Interchange (Route 56)
• 16 – Ōzu Interchange (Route 56)
• Ōzu South Interchange
• 21 – Ōzu-Kitatada Interchange (Route 197
• 22 – Seiyo-Uwa Interchange (Ehime Prefectural Road 29)
• Future Mima interchange
• Uwajima Interchange (Route 56)
• Future Tsushima Interchange