The is a 2-laned national expressway in

Hokkaidō is the second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by railway via the Seikan Tunnel. The ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. It is owned and operated by

East Nippon Expressway Company The , abbreviated as , is one of the main operators of expressways and toll roads in Japan. It is headquartered in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company was established on October 1, 2005 as a result of the privatization of Japan Highway P ...

. It forms the middle section of the .

Overview

The expressway is connects the east of Hokkaidō with central regions including the greater

Sapporo is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...

urban area. At Honbetsu Junction near the eastern end the expressway splits into two routes: one route heading east towards the city of

Kushiro is a city in Kushiro Subprefecture on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. Located along the coast of the North Pacific Ocean, it serves as the subprefecture's capital and it is the most populated city in the eastern part of the island. History An ...

and another route heading north towards the city of

Kitami is a city in Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the most populous city and the commercial center in the subprefecture, although the subprefecture capital is Abashiri. Kitami is physically in the middle of Okhotsk Subprefecture. Th ...

. All future extensions of these two routes will be constructed according to the New Direct Control System 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. As of 2006 the average daily ridership of the expressway has increased to 4,751 vehicles (for comparison the figure for the

Tōhoku Expressway The is a south-north national expressway, and the longest expressway in Japan at . Its southern terminus is in Kawaguchi, Saitama in the Greater Tokyo Area, at the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway and Kawaguchi Route near Araijuku Station, and its no ...

is 270,546 vehicles). The speed limit is 70 km/h for the entire route.

List of interchanges and features

* IC -

interchange Interchange may refer to: Transport * Interchange (road), a collection of ramps, exits, and entrances between two or more highways * Interchange (freight rail), the transfer of freight cars between railroad companies * Interchange station, a rai ...

, JCT -

junction Junction may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Junction'' (2012 film), an American film * ''Junction'' (2024 film), an American film * ''Jjunction'', a 2002 Indian film * ''Junction'' (album), a 1976 album by Andrew Cyrille * Junction (E ...

, SA -

service area A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway ser ...

, PA -

parking area A parking lot or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface. In most jurisdic ...

, TN -

tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...

, TB -

toll gate Toll Gate or Tollgate may refer to: * Toll gate, a barrier across a toll road or toll bridge that is lifted when the toll is paid Entertainment * Tollgate (Hale single), "Tollgate" (Hale single) * ''The Toll-Gate'', a 1954 novel by Georgette Heye ...

Kushiro Route

Kitami Route

History

*October 30, 1995 - Tokachi Shimizu Interchange - Ikeda Interchange section opened. *October 7, 1999 - Chitose-Eniwa Junction - Yūbari Interchange section opened. *March 15, 2003 - Obihiro Junction is opened, connecting with the

Obihiro-Hiroo Expressway The is an incomplete two-lane national expressway in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido. It is owned and operated primarily by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), but has a short section maintained and tolled by the ...

. *June 8, 2003 - Ikeda Interchange - Honbetsu Interchange section and Honbetsu Junction - Ashoro Interchange section opened. *October 21, 2007 - Tomamu Interchange - Tokachi Shimizu Interchange section opened. *October 24, 2009 - Shimukappu Interchange - Tomamu Interchange section opened. *November 21, 2009 - Honbetsu Interchange - Urahoro Interchange section opened. *October 29, 2011 - Yubari Interchange - Shimukappu Interchange section opened. *March 29, 2015 - Urahoro Interchange - Shiranuka Interchange section opened. *March 12, 2016 - Shiranuka Interchange - Akan Interchange and Kushiro-nishi Interchange - Kushiro-higashi Interchange section opened (as part of Kushiro Sotokan Road). *March 9, 2019 - Kushiro-higashi Interchange - Kushiro-Beppo Interchange section opened (as part of Kushiro Sotokan Road). *September 12, 2024 - Kushiro Sotokan Road renamed to Dōtō Expressway. *December 22, 2024 - Akan Interchange - Kushiro-nishi Interchange section opened.

References

External links

East Nippon Expressway Company
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doto Expressway Expressways in Japan Proposed roads in Japan Roads in Hokkaido 1995 establishments in Japan