Tōhoku Expressway

Tōhoku Expressway
東北自動車道
Route information
Length: 679.5 km[1] (422.2 mi)
Existed: 1972[2] – present
Major junctions
From: Kawaguchi Junction in Kawaguchi, Saitama
Shuto Expressway Kawaguchi Route
Tokyo Gaikan Expressway
To: Aomori Interchange in Aomori, Aomori
National Route 7
Aomori Expressway
Location
Major cities: Saitama, Tatebayashi, Utsunomiya, Kōriyama, Fukushima, Sendai, Morioka, Kazuno, Hirosaki
Highway system
National highways of Japan
Expressways of Japan

The Tōhoku Expressway (東北自動車道 Tōhoku Jidōsha-dō) is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned by Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.

Naming

Tōhoku refers to the Tōhoku region, the northernmost region on the island of Honshū.

Officially the expressway is designated as the Tōhoku Jūkan Expressway Hirosaki Route. It is also concurrent with the Tōhoku Jūkan Expressway Hachinohe Route until Ashiro Junction, where it diverges from the Tōhoku Expressway to become the Hachinohe Expressway.[3]

Overview

The expressway links the Tōhoku region with the Kantō region and the greater Tokyo urban area. It is also the longest expressway among all expressways operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.[1]

Starting at a junction with the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway to the north of Tokyo, the expressway follows a northerly course through the plains of Saitama Prefecture and Tochigi Prefecture before entering the mountainous interior of the Tōhoku region. Passing through central Fukushima Prefecture, the expressway then enters Miyagi Prefecture and passes to the west of Sendai, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. The expressway continues north into Iwate Prefecture, passing the prefectural capital Morioka. In the northern part of Iwate, the expressway veers to the northwest, while the Hachinohe Expressway branches off to the northeast. The Tōhoku Expressway continues into central Aomori Prefecture before terminating in the city of Aomori, the prefectural capital.

The route parallels the Tōhoku Shinkansen and Tōhoku Main Line of East Japan Railway Company as well as National Route 4 from the origin to the city of Morioka. North of Morioka the route diverges and parallels the Ōu Main Line and National Route 7 to the terminus in Aomori.

The expressway is 6 lanes from Kawaguchi Junction to Utsunomiya Interchange, and 4 lanes from Utsunomiya to the terminus in Aomori.

Many sections of the expressway were damaged on 11 March 2011 during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The expressway reopened on 24 March 2011.[4]

List of interchanges and features

Kawaguchi JCT - Sendai-Miyagi IC

No. Name Connections Dist. from
Origin
Dist. from
Terminus
Bus Stop Notes Speed Limit Location
Through to Shuto Expressway Kawaguchi Route
1 Kawaguchi JCT Tokyo Gaikan Expressway 0.0 679.5 80 km/h Kawaguchi Saitama
2 Urawa IC National Route 122 3.2 676.3 Aomori-bound exit, Kawaguchi-bound entrance only Midori-ku, Saitama
National Route 122
National Route 463 (Koshigaya Urawa Bypass)
4.8 674.7 Kawaguchi-bound exit, Aomori-bound entrance only
TB Urawa Toll Gate
100 km/h
3 Iwatsuki IC National Route 16 (Iwatsuki Kasukabe Bypass) 10.5 669.0 Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama
SA Hasuda SA 18.2 661.3 Hasuda
BS Shiraoka Bus Stop 20.5 659.0 X Closed Shiraoka
<3-1> Kuki-Shiraoka JCT Ken-Ō Expressway (Planned) 24.1 655.4 Opens in 2010 Kuki
4 Kuki IC Pref. Route 3 (Saitama Kurihashi Route) 25.5 654.0
5 Kazo IC National Route 125 33.4 646.1 Kazo
5-1 Hanyū IC Pref. Route 84 (Hanyū Kurihashi Route) 39.4 640.1 Hanyū
PA Hanyū PA 40.6 638.9
BR Tonegawa Bridge Tone River crossing
Meiwa Gunma
6 Tatebayashi IC National Route 354 46.0 633.5 Tatebayashi
BR Watarasegawa Bridge Length - 400 m Itakura
Sano Tochigi
7 Sano-Fujioka IC National Route 50 55.0 624.5 Tochigi
Sano
SA Sano SA 58.0 621.5 X Bus Stop closed
<7-1> Iwafune JCT Kita-Kantō Expressway (Planned) 61.8 617.7 Opens in 2011 Tochigi
BS/CB Iwafune BS/CB 63.6 615.9 X Bus Stop closed
8 Tochigi IC Pref. Route 32 (Tochigi Kashiwao Route) 72.7 606.8
8-1 Tochigi-Tsuga JCT Kita-Kantō Expressway 75.4 604.1
PA Tsuganishikata PA 79.3 600.2
BR Omoigawa Bridge
Kanuma
BS/CB Isomachi BS/CB 84.8 594.7 X Bus Stop closed
9 Kanuma IC National Route 121 91.5 588.0 X Bus Stop closed
PA Ōya PA 99.3 580.2 Utsunomiya
10 Utsunomiya IC Nikkō Utsunomiya Road
National Route 119 (Utsunomiya Kita Road)
103.0 576.5
SA Kamikawachi SA/
SIC
110.6 568.9 SIC: Aomori-bound exit, Kawaguchi-bound entrance only
BR Kinugawa Bridge Length - 600 m
Sakura
11 Yaita IC National Route 4 (Ujiie Yaita Bypass)
Pref. Route 30 (Yaita Nasu Route)
120.2 559.3 Yaita
PA Yaita-kita PA 127.5 552.0
BS/CB Tanohara BS/CB X Bus Stop closed
BR Hōkigawa Bridge Length - 192 m Nasushiobara
12 Nishinasuno-
Shiobara IC
National Route 400 139.1 540.4
<12-1> Kuroiso IC Pref. Route 53 (Ōtawara Takabayashi Route) 145.5 534.0 Opens in 2008
PA Kuroiso PA
BR Nakagawa Bridge Naka River crossing
Nasu
13 Nasu IC Pref. Route 17 (Nasukōgen Route) 152.5 527.0
SA Nasukōgen SA/
SIC
160.5 519.0 SIC: Aomori-bound exit, Kawaguchi-bound entrance only
14 Shirakawa IC National Route 4 169.7 509.8 Nishigō Fukushima
BS Nishigō Bus Stop 171.1 508.4
BR Abukumagawa Bridge Abukuma River crossing
Length - 130 m
PA Abukuma PA 178.7 500.8 Shirakawa
15 Yabuki IC National Route 4
Abukuma Kōgen Road
186.3 493.2 Yabuki
PA Kagamiishi PA 193.9 485.6 Kagamiishi
16 Sukagawa IC Pref. Route 67 (Nakano Sukagawa Route) 198.2 481.3 Sukagawa
PA Asaka PA 206.0 473.5 Kōriyama
17 Kōriyama-minami IC Pref. Route 47 (Kōriyama Naganuma Route) 207.7 471.8
18 Kōriyama IC National Route 49 216.4 463.1
18-1 Kōriyama JCT Ban-etsu Expressway 220.2 459.3
19 Motomiya IC National Route 4 223.1 456.4 Motomiya
SA Adatara SA 226.3 453.2
BS/CB Ōtama BS/CB X Bus Stop closed Ōtama
20 Nihonmatsu IC National Route 459
Pref. Route 355 (Sukagawa Nihonmatsu Route)
236.0 443.5 X Bus Stop closed Nihonmatsu
PA Fukushima-
Matsukawa PA/SIC
244.7 434.8 X Bus Stop closed Fukushima
TN Fukushima Tunnel 247.5 432.0 Kawaguchi-bound - 880 m
Aomori-bound - 910 m
21 Fukushima-nishi IC National Route 115 254.9 424.6
BR Arakawa Bridge Length - 188 m
PA Azuma PA 257.7 421.8
<21-1> Fukushima JCT Tōhoku-Chūō Expressway (Planned) 261.7 417.8 Planned
22 Fukushima-Iizaka IC National Route 13 264.9 414.6
BS Kōri Bus Stop X Closed Koori
23 Kunimi IC Pref. Route 46 (Shiroishi Kunimi Route) 276.0 403.5 Kunimi
SA Kunimi SA 281.9 397.6
BS/CB Kosugō BS/CB X Bus Stop closed Shiroishi Miyagi
BS/CB Shiroishi-nishi BS/CB 295.0 384.5 X Bus Stop closed
BR Shiroishigawa Bridge Length - 373 m
24 Shiroishi IC National Route 4 (Shiroishi Bypass) 299.5 380.0
PA Zaō PA 304.1 375.4 Zaō
80 km/h
25 Murata IC Pref. Route 14 (Watari Ōgawara Kawasaki Route) 311.8 367.7 Murata
26 Murata JCT Yamagata Expressway 314.5 365.0
PA Sugō PA 319.6 359.9
27 Sendai-minami IC/
JCT
Sendai-Nanbu Road
National Route 286
326.8 352.7 Taihaku-ku, Sendai
28 Sendai-Miyagi IC National Route 48 (Sendai Nishi Road, Ayashi Bypass) 332.4 347.1 Aoba-ku, Sendai

Sendai-Miyagi IC - Aomori IC

No. Name Connections Dist. from
Origin
Dist. from
Terminus
Bus Stop Notes Speed Limit Location
28 Sendai-Miyagi IC National Route 48 (Sendai Nishi Road, Ayashi Bypass) 332.4 347.1 80 km/h Aoba-ku, Sendai Miyagi
BR Hirosegawa Bridge Length - 320 m
PA Izumi PA/SIC 342.6 336.9 Izumi-ku, Sendai
29 Izumi IC National Route 4 346.1 333.4
100 km/h
30 Tomiya JCT Sendai-Hokubu Road 349.3 330.2 Open Tomiya
PA Tsurusu PA 354.4 325.1 Taiwa
30 Taiwa IC Pref. Route 3 (Shiogama Yoshioka Route) 357.1 322.4
PA Sanbongi PA 366.8 312.7 Ōsaki
BR Narusegawa Bridge
31 Furukawa IC National Route 47 375.1 304.4
SA Chōjahara SA/
SIC
381.0 298.5
BS Takashimizu Bus Stop X Closed Kurihara
32 Tsukidate IC National Route 4 391.2 288.3
BS Tsukidate Bus Stop X Closed
PA Shiwahime PA 396.8 282.7
33 Wakayanagi-Kannari IC Pref. Route 4 (Nakada Kurikoma Route) 403.0 276.5
PA Kannari PA 408.8 270.7
34 Ichinoseki IC National Route 342 420.3 259.2 Ichinoseki Iwate
80 km/h
TN Ichinoseki Tunnel 421.0 258.5
PA Chūsonji PA 423.3 256.2
Hiraizumi
TN Hiraizumi Tunnel 428.0 251.5
35 Hiraizumi-Maesawa IC National Route 4 431.8 247.7
SA Maesawa SA 437.5 242.0 Ōshū
100 km/h
36 Mizusawa IC National Route 4 (Kanegasaki Bypass) 449.3 230.2
36-1 Kitakami-Kanegasaki IC/
PA
Pref. Route 50 (Kitakami-Kanegasaki Inter Route) 458.0 221.5 Kitakami
37 Kitakami JCT Akita Expressway 461.8 217.7
38 Kitakami-Ezuriko IC National Route 107 464.7 214.8
PA Hanamaki PA 472.6 206.9 Hanamaki
38-1 Hanamaki-minami IC Pref. Route 12 (Hanamaki Ōmagari Route) 474.5 205.0
38-2 Hanamaki JCT Kamaishi Expressway 478.6 200.9
39 Hanamaki IC Pref. Route 37 (Hanamaki Koromogawa Route) 481.3 198.2
SA Shiwa SA 489.2 190.3 Shiwa
40 Shiwa IC Pref. Route 46 (Shiwa Inter Route) 494.1 185.4
PA Yahaba PA 501.3 178.2 Yahaba
41 Morioka-minami IC Pref. Route 36 (Kamiyonai Yuzawa Route) 505.1 174.4 Morioka
BR Shizukuishigawa Bridge Length - 470 m
42 Morioka IC National Route 46 512.1 167.4
PA Takizawa PA 520.1 159.4 Takizawa
43 Takizawa IC National Route 4 522.1 157.4
44 Nishine IC National Route 282 532.2 147.3 Hachimantai
80 km/h
SA Iwatesan SA 537.3 142.2
45 Matsuo-Hachimantai IC Pref. Route 45 (Kashiwadai Matsuo Route) 541.7 137.8
PA Maemoriyama PA 544.2 135.3
TN Ryūgamori Tunnel
PA Hata PA 556.6 122.9
46 Ashiro JCT Hachinohe Expressway 563.3 116.2
47 Ashiro IC National Route 282 564.6 114.9
PA Tayama PA 573.2 106.3
TN Tayama Tunnel
BR Origumai Bridge Length - 444 m Kazuno Akita
PA Yuze PA 585.2 94.3
BR Sasanowatari Bridge Length - 239 m
BR Keikoku Bridge Length - 146 m
BR Tengu Bridge Length - 171 m
BR Hachimantai Bridge Length - 408 m
48 Kazuno-Hachimantai IC National Route 282 590.7 88.8
SA Hanawa SA 593.7 85.8
49 Towada IC National Route 103 602.6 76.9
TN Kamedayama Tunnel Kosaka
49-1 Kosaka IC Pref. Route 2 (Ōdate Towadako Route) 610.7 68.8
PA Kosaka PA 613.5 66.0
<49-2> Kosaka JCT Nihonkai Engan Tōhoku Expressway (Planned) 617.0 62.5 Planned
TN Sakanashi Tunnel Length - 4265 m 70 km/h
Hirakawa Aomori
TN Ikarigaseki Tunnel 80 km/h
50 Ikarigaseki IC National Route 7 630.7 48.8
PA Ajara PA 635.8 43.7 Ōwani
BS Ōwani Bus Stop 640.0 39.5
51 Ōwani-Hirosaki IC National Route 7 643.7 35.8
100 km/h
SA Tsugaru SA 646.5 33.0 Hirakawa
52 Kuroishi IC National Route 102 653.6 25.9 Kuroishi
BS Botandaira Bus Stop 654.9 24.6
PA Takadate PA 660.8 18.7
BS Hagurotai Bus Stop 665.5 14.0 Aomori
53 Namioka IC/
JCT
National Route 7
Tsugaru Expressway
Pref. Route 285 (Namioka Fujisaki Route)
667.6 11.9
54 Aomori IC Aomori Expressway
National Route 7 (Aomori Kanjō Road)
679.5 0.0 Route 7 ←→ Aomori Expwy: No access
55 Aomori IC Aomori Expressway
National Route 7(Aomori Kanjo Road)
686.4 0.0

References

  1. 1 2 "E-NEXCO Expressway Data". Retrieved 2008-04-13.
  2. "Expressway Opening Dates". Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  3. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "High Standard Trunk Road Map" (pdf). Retrieved 2008-04-13.
  4. NHK World, "Tohoku Expressway Reopened To All Traffic", 24 March 2011.

External links

Coordinates: 35°53′36″N 139°43′14″E / 35.893284°N 139.720522°E / 35.893284; 139.720522

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, August 21, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.