Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway

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Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway (東海北陸自動車道)
Length:	159.8 km[1]
Formed:	1986[2]
From:	Ichinomiya Junction in Ichinomiya, Aichi Meishin Expressway
To:	Oyabe-Tonami Junction in Oyabe and Tonami, Toyama Nōetsu Expressway Hokuriku Expressway
Major cities:	Kakamigahara, Gifu, Seki, Gujō, Takayama, Hida, Nanto, Tonami

The Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway (東海北陸自動車道, Tōkaihokuriku Jidōsha-dō^?) is a national expressway linking Gifu Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture in Japan. It is owned and managed by Central Nippon Expressway Company.

[edit] Overview

Tōkai and Hokuriku are the two regions of Japan that are linked by the expressway.

The expressway begins at a junction with the Meishin Expressway to the northwest of Nagoya and follows a northerly course into Gifu Prefecture, passing the capital Gifu and heading further north into the mountainous Hida region. The expressway also passes by Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites straddling the border between Gifu Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture. The expressway continues north through western Toyama Prefecture to its terminus at a junction with the Hokuriku Expressway and Nōetsu Expressway.

The first section of the expressway was opened to traffic in 1986. The route is nearly complete with only the 25 km section between Hida-Kiyomi Interchange and Shirakawagō Interchange still under construction. A major component of this section will be the new Hida Tunnel, the second longest road tunnel in Japan^[3] (after the Kan-Etsu Tunnel). It is expected to open to traffic in July 2008.^[4]

The expressway is 4 lanes from Ichinomiya Junction to Fukubegatake Parking Area, and 2 lanes on all other sections. Construction to expand the route to 4 lanes is currently underway on the section between Fukubegatake Parking Area and Shirotori Interchange.^[5]

[edit] Features

At 1,086 m, Matsunoki Pass (between Shōkawa Interchange and Hida-Kiyomi Interchange) is the highest point in the national expressway network.^[6] A parking area is planned to open at this point.

There are a total of 54 tunnels either completed or under constrction. After the Hida Tunnel, the Hakamagoshi Tunnel (between Fukumitsu Interchange and Gokayama Interchange) is the longest. Trucks carrying hazardous materials are forbidden from using the tunnel and must use alternate routes.

The piers on the Washimi Bridge (between Shōkawa Interchange and Takasu Interchange) are the tallest in Japan, at 118 m.^[7]

[edit] List of interchanges and features

• IC - interchange, SIC - smart interchange, JCT - junction, SA - service area, PA - parking area, BS - bus stop, TN - tunnel, BR - bridge

No.	Name	Connections	Dist. from Origin	Bus Stop	Notes	Location
25-1	Ichinomiya JCT	Meishin Expressway	0.0			Ichinomiya	Aichi
1	Ichinomiya-nishi IC	Pref. Route 14 (Gifu Inarizawa Route)	1.0		Gifu-bound exit, Ichinomiya JCT-bound entrance only
2	Bisai IC	Pref. Route 148 (Hagiwara Sanjō Kitagata Route)	3.9		Ichinomiya JCT-bound exit, Gifu-bound entrance only
3	Ichinomiya-Kisogawa IC	National Route 22 (Meigi Bypass)	7.7
PA	Kawashima PA		11.3		Highway Oasis	Kakamigahara	Gifu
4	Gifu-Kakamigahara IC	National Route 21 (Naka Bypass)	13.3
BS	Sohara BS		18.8	○		Gifu
5	Seki IC	National Route 248 (Seki Bypass)	25.5			Seki
BS	Kose BS		27.8	○
SA	Seki SA		28.0		Gifu-bound only
SA	Nagaragawa SA		30.1		Takayama-bound only
5-1	Mino-Seki JCT	Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway	31.4
6	Mino IC	Pref. Route 94 (Gifu Mino Route)	32.4	○		Mino
PA	Kojōzan PA		38.4		Mino-bound only
7	Minami IC	National Route 156	49.6	○		Gujō
PA	Fukubegatake PA		50.9		Takayama-bound only
8	Gujō-Hachiman IC	National Route 156	59.9	○
-	Hachiman JCT	Nōbi-Ōdan Expressway			Planned
9/PA	Gifu-Yamato IC/PA	Pref. Route 52 (Shirotori Itadori Route)	66.1	○
10	Shirotori IC	Chūbu-Jūkan Expressway Pref. Route 82 (Shirotori Meihō Route)	76.5
11	Takasu IC	Pref. Route 45 (Takasu Inter Route)	84.5
SA	Hiruganokōgen SA/ SIC		91.6		SIC open until March 31, 2009
12	Shōkawa IC	National Route 158	98.4			Takayama
PA	Matsunokitōge PA				Opens July 2008
13	Hida-Kiyomi IC/ JCT	Chūbu-Jūkan Expressway National Route 158	117.2
PA	Kawai PA				Opens July 2008	Hida
TN	Hida Tunnel				Length - 10,712 m Opens July 2008
						Shirakawa
14	Shirakawagō IC	National Route 156	142.2
PA	Hida-Shirakawa PA				Opens July 2008
15	Gokayama IC	National Route 156	157.4			Nanto	Toyama
TN	Hakamagoshi Tunnel		165.3		Dangerous goods forbidden
SA	Jōhana SA		170.1		Highway Oasis
16	Fukumitsu IC	National Route 304	173.7
19	Oyabe-Tonami JCT	Hokuriku Expressway	184.8			Tonami
						Oyabe
Through to Nōetsu Expressway

[edit] Gallery

Pacific Ocean-Japan Sea watershed boundary near Hiruganokōgen Service Area

Future site of Matsunokitōge Parking Area

Washimi Bridge

[edit] References

1. ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Road Timetable. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
2. ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. History of the Expressway Network in the Greater Nagoya Area. Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
3. ^ Japan Tunnelling Association. 2005 Activity Report. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
4. ^ C-NEXCO Press Release. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
5. ^ NEXCO-Central Business Outline (pdf). Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
6. ^ Gifu Prefectural Government. Gifu Internet Broadcast Station. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
7. ^ Gifu Prefectural Government. Gifu Internet Broadcast Station. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.

[edit] External links

• Central Nippon Expressway Company
• (Japanese) Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway Official Website

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