Dōtō Expressway

Dōtō Expressway
道東自動車道
Route information
Length: 258.0 km[2] (160.3 mi)
Existed: 1995[1] – present
Major junctions
From: Chitose-Eniwa Junction in Chitose, Hokkaidō
Hokkaidō Expressway
To: Kushiro, Hokkaidō
Kitami, Hokkaidō
Location
Major cities: Yūbari, Obihiro
Highway system

National highways of Japan
Expressways of Japan

The Dōtō Expressway (道東自動車道 Dōtō Jidōsha-dō?) (lit. East Hokkaidō Expressway) is a 2-laned national expressway in Hokkaidō, Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.

Contents

Overview

The expressway is connects the east of Hokkaidō with central regions including the greater Sapporo urban area.[3]

At Honbetsu Junction near the eastern end the expressway splits into two routes; one route heading east towards the city of Kushiro and another route heading north towards the city of Kitami. All future extensions of these two routes will be constructed according to the New Direct Control System[3] and are expected to operate toll-free upon completion.

The expressway is among the least used in Japan. At the time of its opening it was used by an average of only 650 vehicles a day, the lowest among all national expressways in Japan.[1] As of 2006 the average daily ridership of the expressway has increased to 4,751 vehicles (for comparison the figure for the Tōhoku Expressway is 270,546 vehicles).[2]

The speed limit is 70 km/h for the entire route.

List of interchanges and features

Kushiro Route

No. Name Connections Dist. from
Origin
Notes Location
(all in Hokkaidō)
(4-1) Chitose-Eniwa JCT Hokkaidō Expressway 0.0 Chitose
1 Chitose-higashi IC National Route 337 12.6
PA Kiusu PA 14.5
2 Oiwakechō IC National Route 234 21.9 Abira
PA Yuni PA 29.3 Yuni
3 Yūbari IC National Route 274 42.1 Yūbari
4 Mukawa Hobetsu IC Pref. Route 1165 (Hobetsu Inter Route) 56.5 Mukawa
TN Hobetsu Tunnel Length - 4,332 m
5 Shimukappu IC Pref. Route 1172 (Shimukappu Inter Route) 76.6 Shimukappu
PA Shimukappu PA 80.0
6 Tomamu IC Pref. Route 1170 (Tomamu Inter Route) 102.8
TN Daiichi Karikachi Tunnel Point of highest elevation among all expressways in Hokkaidō (626 m)
Length - 2,351 m
Minamifurano
- Shintoku IC Planned Shintoku
7 Tokachi Shimizu IC National Route 274 123.7 Shimizu
SA Tokachiheigen SA 138.6 Memuro
8 Memuro IC Pref. Route 54 (Higashiurimaku Memuro Route) 140.9
9 Obihiro JCT Obihiro-Hiroo Expressway 145.3
10 Otofuke Obihiro IC National Route 241 (Obihiro Kita Bypass) 152.4 Otofuke
PA Osarushi PA 165.5
11 Ikeda IC National Route 242 174.0 Ikeda
TB Ikeda Toll Gate
12 Honbetsu JCT Kitami Route 191.2 No access: Ashoro IC ←→ Honbetsu IC Honbetsu
13 Honbetsu IC National Route 242 193.0
14 Urahoro IC National Route 274 201.0 Urahoro
<TN> Sensho Tunnel Opens in 2015
Length - 4,460 m
Shiranuka
- Shiranuka IC National Route 392 Opens in 2015
- Akan IC National Route 240 Opens in 2015 Kushiro
- Kushiro Airport IC Pref. Route 65 (Kushiro Airport Route) Planned
- Kushiro IC National Route 38 (Kushiro Shindō) Opens in 2015
Through to Kushiro Sotokanjō Road (Planned)

Kitami Route

No. Name Connections Dist. from
Origin
Notes Location (all in Hokkaidō)
12 Honbetsu JCT Kushiro Route 191.2 No access: Ashoro IC ←→ Honbetsu IC Honbetsu
1 Ashoro IC National Route 242 204.4 Ashoro
- Rikubetsu IC Planned Rikubetsu
- Shōtoshibetsu IC Planned
- Kunneppu IC Opens in 2014 Kunneppu
- Kitami IC Kitami
Through to Kitami Road (Planned)

History

References

  1. ^ a b "Hokkaido Keizai Sangyo Shimbun, October 22, 2007". http://dokei.net/conts.php?nid=315. Retrieved 2008-04-15. 
  2. ^ a b "E-NEXCO Expressway Data". http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/more_expressway/data/. Retrieved 2008-04-13. 
  3. ^ a b "E-NEXCO Opening Schedule". http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/open_schedule/hokkaido/. Retrieved 2008-04-15. 

External links