Higashi-Kantō Expressway

Infobox_road
highway_name = Higashi-Kantō Expressway (東関東自動車道)
marker_



length = 74.5 km [cite web| url= http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/more_expressway/data/ | title= E-NEXCO Expressway Data | accessdate= 2008-04-13 ]
established = 1971 [cite web| url= http://nandemo.city.narita.chiba.jp/category/1-chiiki/1-8tohyama/1-8-72tohkan-doh.html | title= Narita Nandemo Encyclopedia |author= Narita City Board of Education | accessdate= 2008-04-15 ]
first_open =
starting_terminus = Kōya Junction in Ichikawa, Chiba

cities = Funabashi, Narashino, Chiba, Sakura, Narita, Katori, Itako
ending_terminus = Ibaraki Junction in Ibaraki, Ibaraki
The nihongo|Higashi-Kantō Expressway|東関東自動車道|Higashi Kantō Jidōsha-dō (lit. East Kantō Expressway) is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.

Overview

Officially the expressway is referred to as the Higashi-Kantō Expressway Mito Route. [cite web| url= http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-yosan/h20/s07.pdf | title= High Standard Trunk Road Map |author= Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport | accessdate= 2008-04-13 | format=pdf]

The expressway commences at a junction with the Shuto Expressway Bayshore Route in western Chiba Prefecture and follows an easterly course which parallels Tokyo Bay. Just before Miyanogi Junction where the expressway meets the Keiyō Road, the route branches away from the bay and heads inland in a northeasterly direction. It continues through Chiba Prefecture, though the city of Narita, and crossing the Tone River into Ibaraki Prefecture where the expressway reaches its current terminus in Itako.

The expressway is an important route linking the greater Tokyo area with Narita International Airport. At Narita Junction travellers must switch to the Shin-Kūkō Expressway to travel the remaining distance to the airport proper.

Currently the expressway extends from Wangan-Ichikawa Interchange to Itako Interchange, however plans are underway to extend the expressway to a junction with the Kita-Kantō Expressway near Mito, Ibaraki. [cite web| url= http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/open_schedule/kanto/ | title= E-NEXCO Opening Schedule | accessdate= 2008-04-15 ]

The expressway is 6 lanes from the origin to Narita Junction, and the remainder is 4 lanes. The speed limit is 100 km/h, except for the section from the origin to Chiba-kita Interchange which is 80 km/h.

List of interchanges and features

* IC - interchange, JCT - junction, PA - parking area, SA - service area, BR - bridge, TB - toll gate

References

External links

*ja icon [http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/ East Nippon Expressway Company]