- Hokuriku Expressway
Infobox_road
highway_name = Hokuriku Expressway (北陸自動車道)
marker_
length = 476.5 km [cite web| url= http://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/time/h_hokuriku1.html | title= Road Timetable |author= Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Kinki Regional Development Bureau | accessdate= 2008-04-16 ]
established = 1972 [cite web| url= http://www2.tokai.or.jp/stt/road/expwyopn.html | title= Expressway Opening Dates | accessdate= 2008-04-16 ]
first_open =
starting_terminus =Niigata-Chūō Junction inNiigata, Niigata
cities = Nagaoka, Jōetsu, Uozu, Toyama, Kanazawa, Komatsu, Fukui, Sabae, Echizen, Tsuruga, Nagahama
ending_terminus =Maibara Junction inMaibara, Shiga
The nihongo|Hokuriku Expressway|北陸自動車道|Hokuriku Jidōsha-dō, (abbreviated as nihongo|Hokuriku Expwy|北陸道|Hokurikudō, is a 4-laned national expressway inJapan . It is owned and managed byEast Nippon Expressway Company andCentral Nippon Expressway Company .Overview
The first section was opened in 1972 by
Japan Highway Public Corporation and construction proceeded in stages until the entire route was completed in 1988. [cite web| url= http://www.hrr.mlit.go.jp/road/miti_eki/each_folder/oyasiraz/oyasiraz.html | title= Oyashirazu Pia Park Profile |author= Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau | accessdate= 2008-04-16 ] On October 1, 2005, all national expressways were privatized [cite web| url= http://www.ersa.org/ersaconfs/ersa06/papers/226.pdf | title= Privatization of the Japan Highway Public Corporation: Policy Assessment | accessdate= 2008-04-11 | format=pdf] and management of the Hokuriku Expressway was divided between the East and Central Nippon Expressway Companies. [cite web| url= http://www.c-nexco.co.jp/english/pdf/nexco_english.pdf | title= NEXCO-Central Business Outline | accessdate= 2008-04-13 | format=pdf]The route serves the
Hokuriku region on the north central coast ofHonshū , Japan's largest island. For most of its length it parallels National Route 8 and theHokuriku Main Line ofWest Japan Railway Company .Although the route officially originates in Niigata and terminates at Maibara, exit numbers and kilometer markings originate from Maibara.
Features
Around
Tsuruga Interchange , the south-bound lanes cross over the north-bound lanes and diverges drastically. The expressway rejoins normally at a point nearSuizu Parking Area .There are 14 tunnels between
Kinomoto Interchange andTakebu Interchange (two of which are longer than 2,000 m), and 26 tunnels between Asahi Interchange andJōetsu Interchange (eight of which are longer than 2,000 m).List of interchanges and features
* IC - interchange, SIC -
smart interchange , JCT - junction, SA -service area , PA -parking area , BS -bus stop , TN -tunnel , CB -snow chains References
External links
*ja icon [http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/ East Nippon Expressway Company]
* [http://www.c-nexco.co.jp/english/ Central Nippon Expressway Company]
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