Tōhoku Expressway

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Tōhoku Expressway (東北自動車道)
Length:	679.5 km[1]
Formed:	1972[2]
From:	Kawaguchi Junction in Kawaguchi, Saitama Shuto Expressway Kawaguchi Route Tokyo Gaikan Expressway
To:	Aomori Interchange in Aomori, Aomori National Route 7 Aomori Expressway
Major cities:	Saitama, Tatebayashi, Utsunomiya, Kōriyama, Fukushima, Sendai, Morioka, Kazuno, Hirosaki

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

[edit] 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]

[edit] 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.

[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, TB - toll gate, CB - snow chains

[edit] 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				Fujioka
								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		Iwafune
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				Tochigi
8-1	Tochigi-Tsuga JCT	Kita-Kantō Expressway	75.4	604.1
								Tsuga
PA	Tsuganishikata PA		79.3	600.2
								Nishikata
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	Kōri
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

• Iwafune JCT - Tochigi-Tsuga JCT is concurrent with the Kita-Kantō Expressway

[edit] 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
<29-1>	Tomiya JCT	Sendai-Hokubu Road	349.3	330.2		Planned		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

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} E-NEXCO Expressway Data. Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
2. ^ Expressway Opening Dates. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.
3. ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. High Standard Trunk Road Map (pdf). Retrieved on 2008-04-13.

[edit] External links

• (Japanese) East Nippon Expressway Company

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