Three roads and one railroad in Oyashirazu

The , (abbreviated as , is a 4-laned national

expressway Expressway may refer to: * Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic. * Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road. *Expressway, the fictional s ...

in Japan. It is owned and managed 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 Pub ...

and Central Nippon Expressway Company.

Overview

The first section was opened in 1972 by

Japan Highway Public Corporation , or JH, was a public company established after World War II to construct and manage highway networks in Japan, founded in 1956. On October 1, 2005, JH was divided into three private enterprises, East Nippon Expressway Company Limited (NEXCO Ea ...

and construction proceeded in stages until the entire route was completed in 1988. On October 1, 2005, all national expressways were privatized and management of the Hokuriku Expressway was divided between the East and Central Nippon Expressway Companies. The route serves the Hokuriku region on the north central coast of Honshū, Japan's largest island. For most of its length it parallels National Route 8 and the

Hokuriku Main Line The Hokuriku Main Line ( ja, 北陸本線, ) is a 176.6 kilometer railway line owned by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) connecting the Maibara Station in Maibara, Shiga, with the Naoetsu Station in Joetsu, Niigata. The section betwe ...

West Japan Railway Company , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...

. Although the route officially originates in Niigata and terminates at Maibara, exit numbers and kilometer markings originate from Maibara.

Features

Around

Tsuruga Interchange is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 66,123 in 28,604 households and the population density of 260 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Tsuruga is located in central ...

, the south-bound lanes cross over the north-bound lanes and diverges drastically. The expressway rejoins normally at a point near Suizu Parking Area. There are 14 tunnels between

Kinomoto Interchange Kinomoto may refer to: *Kinomoto, Shiga was a town located in Ika District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It was the center of the district. In Sengoku period, Battle of Shizugatake broke out at a mountain in the west of Kinomoto. As of 2003, the ...

and Takefu Interchange (two of which are longer than 2,000 m), and 26 tunnels between Asahi Interchange and

Jōetsu Interchange Jōetsu (上越) may refer to: * as ''Kami-Echigo'' (上越後): ** Jōetsu region, a geographical region in Niigata Prefecture ** Jōetsu, Niigata, a city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan ** Jōetsumyōkō Station, a railway station in Jōetsu, Niigat ...

(eight of which are longer than 2,000 m).

List of interchanges and features

* IC - interchange, SIC -

smart interchange A is a feature of Japanese expressways that provides exclusive access to and from the expressway for vehicles equipped with electronic toll collection (ETC). The feature increases accessibility to and from the expressway in less-populated areas ...

, JCT -

junction Junction may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Junction'' (film), a 2012 American film * Jjunction, a 2002 Indian film * Junction (album), a 1976 album by Andrew Cyrille * Junction (EP), by Basement Jaxx, 2002 * Junction (manga), or ''Hot ...

, SA -

service area Service area may refer to: * Rest 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 r ...

, PA -

parking area A parking lot (American English) 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 ...

, BS - bus stop, TN -

tunnel A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...

, CB -

snow chains Snow chains, or tire chains, are devices fitted to the tires of vehicles to provide increased traction when driving through snow and ice. Snow chains attach to the drive wheels of a vehicle or special systems deploy chains which swing under ...

References

External links

East Nippon Expressway CompanyCentral Nippon Expressway Company
{{Expressways of Japan Expressways in Japan Roads in Fukui Prefecture Roads in Ishikawa Prefecture Roads in Niigata Prefecture Roads in Shiga Prefecture Roads in Toyama Prefecture