- Chūō Expressway
-
Chūō Expressway
中央自動車道 
Route information Length: 354.8 km (220.5 mi)
Main Route - 344.9 km[1][2]
Kawaguchiko Route - 21.9 km[2]Existed: 1967[3] – present Major junctions From: Takaido Interchange in Suginami, Tokyo
Shuto Expressway Shinjuku Route
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 14To: Komaki Junction in Komaki, Aichi
Tōmei Expressway
Kawaguchiko Interchange in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi
Higashifuji-goko Road
National Route 139Location Major cities: Hachiōji, Sagamihara, Ōtsuki, Kōfu, Suwa, Okaya, Iida, Nakatsugawa, Tajimi, Kasugai Highway system The Chūō Expressway (中央自動車道 Chūō Jidōsha-dō) (lit. Central Expressway) is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company.
Contents
Naming
Officially the expressway is designated as the Chūō Expressway Nishinomiya Route (from Takaido Interchange to Komaki Junction), the Chūō Expressway Nagano Route (from Takaido Interchange to Okaya Junction), and the Chūō Expressway Fujiyoshida Route (from Takaido Interchange through Ōtsuki Junction to Kawaguchiko Interchange, this section being a branch of the main route).[4] These designations do not appear on any signage as all sections are signed simply as the Chūō Expressway.
Overview
The Chūō Expressway is a major roadway connecting the greater Tokyo and Nagoya urban areas, a role also shared by the Tōmei Expressway. While the Tōmei Expressway follows a coastal route, the Chūō Expressway follows an inland route through the mountainous regions of Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, and Gifu Prefectures. In addition, a branch of the expressway in Yamanashi Prefecture known as the Kawaguchiko Route facilitates access to Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes area.
The expressway is 4 lanes for its entire length except for the section between Uenohara Interchange and Ōtuski Junction, which is 6 to 7 lanes. This section was originally 4 lanes as well, however increasing traffic volume led to the construction of a new parallel roadway for Uenohara-bound traffic, with the original 4 lanes of roadway being converted for the use of Ōtsuki-bound traffic only.
Tolls on the section from Takaido Interchange to Hachiōji Interchange are charged at a flat rate. As of April 2008 the toll on this section is 600 yen for a regular passenger car. Tolls on all other sections of the expressway are assessed according to distance travelled in the same manner as most other national expressways.[5] Also, tolls on the section from Sonohara Interchange to Nakatsugawa Interchange are assessed at 1.6 times the normal rate to account for the high cost of constructing the Enasan Tunnel. Vehicles carrying dangerous materials are forbidden from using this tunnel and must use alternate routes.
History
The Chūō Expressway affords many fine views of Mount Fuji.
Near Futaba Junction
Chūō Expressway in Fujimi, Nagano- December 15, 1967 - Chōfu Interchange - Hachiōji Interchange section opened.
- December 20, 1968 - Hachiōji Interchange - Sagamiko Interchange section opened.
- March 17, 1969 - Sagamiko Interchange - Kawaguchiko Interchange section opened.
- October 5, 1972 - Tajimi Interchange - Komaki Junction section opened, connecting with the Tōmei Expressway.
- September 6, 1973 - Mizunami Interchange - Tajimi Interchange section opened.
- March 5, 1975 - Nakatsugawa Interchange - Mizunami Interchange section opened.
- August 23, 1975 - Komagane Interchange - Nakatsugawa Interchange section opened (Enasan Tunnel opened with 2 lanes of traffic only).
- May 18, 1976 - Takaido Interchange - Chōfu Interchange section opened.
- September 18, 1976 - Ihoku Interchange - Komagane Interchange section opened.
- December 19, 1976 - Nirasaki Interchange - Kobuchisawa Interchange section opened.
- December 20, 1977 - Ōtsuki Junction - Katsunuma Interchange section opened.
- November 16, 1979 - Komaki-higashi Interchange opened.
- March 26, 1980 - Kōfu-Shōwa Interchange - Nirasaki Interchange section opened.
- March 30, 1981 - Kobuchisawa Interchange - Ihoku Interchange section opened.
- November 10, 1982 - Katsunuma Interchange - Kōfu-Shōwa Interchange section opened, completing the entire route.
- November, 1984 - Tsuru Interchange opened.
- March 25, 1986 - Okaya Junction - Okaya Interchange section opened.
- August 28, 1986 - Connection to Higashifuji-goko Road at Kawaguchiko Interchange is completed.
- September 27, 1986 - Nagasaka Interchange opened.
- March 5, 1988 - Okaya Junction - Okaya Interchange section is transferred to the Nagano Expressway.
- September 27, 1989 - Uenohara Interchange opened.
- March 25, 1992 - Sonohara Interchange opened.
- January, 1993 - Renovation of Dangōzaka Service Area completed. The Komaki-bound service area is moved 2 km closer to Tokyo, while the Tokyo-bound service area is moved to the former site of the Komaki-bound service area.
- April 14, 1995 - Inagi Interchange opened.
- March 24, 2002 - Futaba Junction is opened, connecting with the Chūbu-Ōdan Expressway.
- March 16, 2003 - Reconstruction of the Uenohara Interchange - Ōtsuki Junction section is completed (additional lanes added, areas with sharp curves abandoned, Tokyo-bound Dangōzaka Service Area renovated, area near Ōtsuki Junction susceptible to traffic weaving eliminated).
- March 19, 2005 - Toki Junction is opened, connecting with the Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway.
- October 1, 2005 - Expressway management is transferred from Japan Highway Public Corporation to Central Nippon Expressway Company as a result of the privatization of the national expressway network.
- October 1, 2006 - Futaba Smart Interchange opened.
- June 23, 2007 - Hachiōji Junction is opened, connecting with the Ken-Ō Expressway.
List of interchanges and features
- IC - interchange, SIC - smart interchange, JCT - junction, SA - service area, PA - parking area, BS - bus stop, TN - tunnel, TB - toll gate
Main Route
No. Name Connections Dist. from
OriginBus Stop Notes Speed Limit Location Through to Shuto Expressway Shinjuku Route1 Takaido IC Met. Route 14 (Shinjuku Kunitachi Route) (Tōhachi Road) 0.0 Tokyo-bound exit only 60 km/h Suginami Tokyo <2> Chūō JCT Tokyo Gaikan ExpresswayPlanned Mitaka BS Mitaka Bus Stop 4.0 ○ TB Mitaka Toll Gate 4.0 Komaki-bound only 80 km/h BS Jindaiji Bus Stop 6.0 ○ Chōfu 3 Chōfu IC 
National Route 20 (Kōshū Kaidō)7.7 3-1 Inagi IC Inagiōhashi Toll Road 10.0 Komaki-bound exit, Takaido-bound entrance only
No free road accessFuchū 100 km/h BS Fuchū Bus Stop 11.5 ○ 4 Kunitachi-Fuchū IC National Route 20 (Hino Bypass)17.0 Kunitachi BS Hino Bus Stop 20.0 ○ Hino PA Ishikawa PA 23.3
23.5Takaido-bound
Komaki-boundHachiōji 5-1 Hachiōji No.1 Exit 
National Route 16 (Hachiōji Bypass)25.8 Komaki-bound only 5-2 Hachiōji No.2 Exit National Route 16Komaki-bound only 5
TB
5Hachiōji IC
Hachiōji Toll Gate
Hachiōji ExitExit is Takaido-bound only BS Motohachiōji Bus Stop 31.0 ○ 80 km/h - Motohachiōji IC Met. Route 61 (Yamada Miyanomae Route) 33.2 Planned 6 Hachiōji JCT 
Ken-Ō Expressway36.0 7 Sagamiko Higashi Exit National Route 2042.4 Komaki-bound only Sagamihara Kanagawa BS Sagamiko Bus Stop 42.9 ○ 8 Sagamiko IC National Route 2045.4 PA Fujino PA 46.5 9 Uenohara IC Pref. Route 35 (Yokkaichiba Uenohara Route) 50.3 ○ Uenohara Yamanashi SA Saruhashi Bus Stop 65.1 ○ Ōtsuki 10 Ōtsuki IC National Route 2070.4 11 Ōtsuki JCT Kawaguchiko Route71.4 BS Magi Bus Stop 72.8 ○ PA Hatsukari PA 74.8 BS Sasago Bus Stop 78.7 ○ 70 km/h BS Kai-Yamato Bus Stop 86.4 ○ Kōshū 12 Katsunuma IC National Route 20 (Katsunuma Bypass)90.5 80 km/h PA Shakadō PA 92.8 ○ Fuefuki BS Kai-Ichinomiya Bus Stop 95.2 ○ 13 Ichinomiya-Misaka IC 
National Route 13796.6 BS Misaka Bus Stop 98.7 ○ BS Yatsushiro Bus Stop 101.4 ○ PA Sakaigawa PA 104.2
104.5○ Takaido-bound
Komaki-bound14 Kōfu-minami IC 
National Route 358106.2 ○ Kōfu BS Shōwa Bus Stop 112.3 ○ Shōwa 15 Kōfu-Shōwa IC National Route 20 (Kōfu Bypass)113.8 SA Kai 15-1 Futaba JCT Chūbu-Ōdan Expressway120.4 16 Nirasaki IC Pref. Route 27 (Nirasaki Shōsenkyō Route) 125.0 Nirasaki BS Akeno Bus Stop 129.5 ○ Hokuto 17 Sutama IC 
National Route 141132.0 70 km/h BS Nagasaka-Takane Bus Stop 140.1 ○ 17-1 Nagasaka IC Pref. Route 32 (Nagasaka Takane Route) 140.7 80 km/h - Nagasaka JCT Chūbu-Ōdan Expressway (Planned)Planned PA Yatsugatake PA 143.1 ○ 18 Kobuchisawa IC Pref. Route 11 (Hokuto Fujimi Route) 148.9 Fujimi Nagano BS Fujimi Bus Stop 157.7 ○ 19 Suwa-minami IC Pref. Route 425 (Haraizawa Fujimi Route)
Pref. Route 90 (Suwa-minami Inter Route)161.5 PA Chūōdō-Hara PA 163.8 ○ Komaki-bound Hara 164.6 Takaido-bound BS Chino Bus Stop 169.9 ○ Chino 20 Suwa IC National Route 20 (Suwa Bypass)172.6 Suwa BS Aruga Bus Stop 177.3 ○ SA Suwako SA 178.5 Okaya 21 Okaya JCT Nagano Expressway182.7 BS Kawagishi Bus Stop 186.0 ○ PA Tatsuno PA 192.7 ○ Tatsuno 22 Ihoku IC 
National Route 153196.7 ○ Minowa BS Minowa Bus Stop 200.5 ○ 23 Ina IC Pref. Route 476 (Ina Inter Nishiminowa Route)
Pref. Route 87 (Ina Inter Route)206.2 ○ Minamiminowa Ina PA Ogurogawa PA 209.1 BS Nishiharuchika Bus Stop 212.2 ○ BS Miyada Bus Stop 217.4 ○ Miyada 24 Komagane IC Pref. Route 75 (Komagane Komagatake Kōen Route) 221.4 ○ Komagane SA Komagatake SA 224.7 BS Iijima Bus Stop 228.7 ○ Iijima 25 Matsukawa IC Pref. Route 15 (Iijima Iida Route)
Pref. Route 59 (Matsukawa Inter Ōshika Route)236.7 ○ Matsukawa BS Takamori Bus Stop 243.1 ○ Takamori PA Zakōji PA 245.3 Iida BS Kamiiida Bus Stop 248.9 ○ 26 National Route 153 (Iida Bypass) 252.2 ○ 26-1 Iida-Yamamoto IC National Route 153
San-ennanshin Expressway257.4 PA Achi 70 km/h 26-1 Sonohara IC Pref. Route 89 (Sonohara Inter Route)
Pref. Route 477 (Fujimidai Kōen Route)267.0 ○ Takaido-bound exit, Komaki-bound entrance only TN Enasan Tunnel 271.0 Dangerous goods forbidden Nakatsugawa Gifu PA Nakatsugawa IC 
National Route 19288.9 ○ SA Enakyō SA 294.4 Ena 28 Ena IC Pref. Route 68 (Ena Shirakawa Route) 298.3 ○ PA Byōbuzan PA 310.2
311.4Takaido-bound
Komaki-boundMizunami BS Mizunami-Tentoku Bus Stop 314.8 ○ 29 Mizunami IC Pref. Route 47 (Mizunami Inter Route) 316.4 30 Toki IC 
National Route 21320.9 ○ Toki 30-1 Toki JCT 
Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway323.4 PA Kokeizan PA 327.9 Takaido-bound only Tajimi 31 Tajimi IC 
National Route 248329.7 ○ PA Utsutsutōge PA 336.2 Kasugai Aichi 32 Komaki-higashi IC Pref. Route 49 (Kasugai Inuyama Route) 337.8 Komaki BS Tōkadai Bus Stop 343.0 ○ 33 Komaki-higashi IC Pref. Route 49 (Kasugai Inuyama Route) 348.3 34 Loweko IC Pref. Route 49 (Kasugai Inuyama Route) 354.6 - Changing areas for snow chains
- Achi PA - Sonohara IC
- Hatsukari PA - Katsunuma IC
- Sutama IC - Nagasaka IC (Komaki-bound)
- Yatsugatake PA - Kobuchisawa IC (Two areas Komaki-bound)
- Kobuchisawa IC - Suwa-minami IC
- Okaya JCT - Tatsuno PA
Kawaguchiko Route
No. Name Connections Dist. from
Takaido ICBus Stop Notes Location
(all in Yamanashi)Through to Higashifuji-goko Road- The speed limit on the Kawaguchiko Route is 80 km/h.
- To prevent confusion with the main route, kilometer markers along the Kawaguchiko Route show the distance from Takaido Interchange plus 300 (the marker at Ōtsuki Junction is 371.4 while the marker at Kawaguchiko Interchange is 393.9)
References
- ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "Road Timetable". http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/kyoku/road/jikoku/station/chuou2.html. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "Road Timetable". http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/kyoku/road/jikoku/station/chuou1.html. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "History of Tokyo's 3 Ring Roads". http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/3kanjo/history/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "High Standard Trunk Road Map" (pdf). http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-yosan/h20/s07.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ "E-NEXCO Drive Plaza Route Search". http://www.driveplaza.com/dp/SearchTop#search_map. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
External links
Central Nippon Expressway Company National Expressways Chūbu-Ōdan • Chūō • Higashi-Meihan • Hokuriku • Ise • Isewangan • Kisei • Meishin • Nagano • Shin-Meishin • Tōkai-Hokuriku • Tōmei • Shin TōmeiToll Roads Chūbu-Jūkan Expressway • Hachiōji Bypass • Hakone Shindō • Higashifuji-goko Road • Ken-Ō Expressway • Nishi-Fuji Road • Odawara-Atsugi Road • Seishō Bypass • Shinshōnan Bypass • Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway
Expressways of JapanEast Nippon Expressway Company Akita • Aomori • Ban-etsu • Dōtō • Hachinohe • Higashi-Kantō • Hokkaidō • Hokuriku • Jōban • Jōshin-etsu • Kamaishi • Kan-Etsu • Ken-Ō • Kita-Kantō • Nagano • Nihonkai-Tōhoku • Sasson • Shin-Kūkō • Tateyama • Tōhoku • Tōhoku-Chūō • Tokyo Gaikan • YamagataCentral Nippon Expressway Company Chūbu-Ōdan • Chūō • Higashi-Meihan • Hokuriku • Ise • Isewangan • Ken-Ō • Kisei • Meishin • Nagano • Shin-Meishin • Tōkai-Hokuriku • TōmeiWest Nippon Expressway Company Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company Kobe-Awaji-Naruto • Nishiseto • Seto-ChūōUrban Expressways Categories:- Expressways in Japan
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