The Chūō Expressway (中央自動車道, Chūō Jidōsha-dō, lit. Central Motorway, formerly Chūō Kōsoku-dōro (中央高速道路) until 1972) is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by NEXCO Central.
 | |
|---|---|
中央自動車道   | |
 | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 366.8 km (227.9 mi) |
| Existed | 1967[1]–present |
| Major junctions | |
| From | Takaido Interchange in Suginami, Tokyo Shuto Expressway Shinjuku RouteTokyo Metropolitan Route 14 |
| To | Komaki Junction in Komaki, Aichi Tōmei ExpresswayKawaguchiko Interchange in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi  Higashifuji-goko Road National Route 139 |
| Location | |
| Country | Japan |
| Major cities | Hachiōji, Sagamihara, Ōtsuki, Kōfu, Suwa, Okaya, Iida, Nakatsugawa, Tajimi, Kasugai |
| Highway system | |
Naming
editOfficially 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
editThe 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, its highest point (1,015 meters above sea level) being at 157.3 km point sandwiched between the Yatsugatake Mountains and Southern Japanese Alps. 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 October 2024, the toll on this section is 1000 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
edit
- 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.
- December 2, 2012 - Sasago Tunnel collapses, killing nine people.[6]
List of interchanges and features
editThis article contains a bulleted list or table of intersections which should be presented in a properly formatted junction table. (November 2021) |
- IC - interchange, SIC - smart interchange, JCT - junction, SA - service area, PA - parking area, BS - bus stop, TN - tunnel, TB - toll gate
Main Route
edit| No. | Name | Connections | Dist. from Origin |
Bus Stop | Notes | Speed Limit | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Through to Shuto Expressway Shinjuku Route
| ||||||||
| 1 | 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 Expressway
|
Planned | 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 | Met. Route 9 (Kawasaki Fuchū Route) | 10.0 | Komaki-bound exit, Takaido-bound entrance only | Fuchū | |||
| 100 km/h | ||||||||
| BS | Fuchū Bus Stop/ SIC |
Met. Route 9 (Kawasaki Fuchū Route) | 11.5 | ○ | SIC: Takaido-bound exit, Komaki-bound entrance only | |||
| 4 | Kunitachi-Fuchū IC | National Route 20 (Hino Bypass)
|
17.0 | Kunitachi | ||||
| BS | Hino Bus Stop | 20.0 | ○ | Hino | ||||
| PA | Ishikawa PA | 23.3 23.5 |
Takaido-bound Komaki-bound |
Hachiōji | ||||
| 5-1 | Hachiōji No.1 Exit |  National Route 16 (Hachiōji Bypass)
|
25.8 | Komaki-bound only | ||||
| 5-2 | Hachiōji No.2 Exit | National Route 16
|
Komaki-bound only | |||||
| 5 TB 5 |
Hachiōji IC Hachiōji Toll Gate Hachiōji Exit |
Exit is Takaido-bound only | ||||||
| BS | Motohachiōji Bus Stop | 31.0 | ○ | 80 km/h | ||||
| - | Motohachiōji IC | Met. Route 61 (Yamada Miyanomae Route) | 33.2 | open in 2021 | ||||
| 6 | Hachiōji JCT |  Ken-Ō Expressway
|
36.0 | |||||
| 7 | Sagamiko Higashi Exit | National Route 20
|
42.4 | Komaki-bound only | Sagamihara | Kanagawa | ||
| BS | Sagamiko Bus Stop | 42.9 | ○ | |||||
| 8 | Sagamiko IC | National Route 20
|
45.4 | |||||
| PA | Fujino PA | 46.5 | ||||||
| 9 | Uenohara IC | Pref. Route 35 (Yokkaichiba Uenohara Route) | 50.3 | ○ | Uenohara | Yamanashi | ||
| SA | Dangōzaka SA/ Nodajiri Bus Stop |
55.6 | Komaki-bound | |||||
| 57.7 | ○ | Takaido-bound | ||||||
| BS | Saruhashi Bus Stop | 65.1 | ○ | Ōtsuki | ||||
| 10 | Ōtsuki IC | National Route 20
|
70.4 | |||||
| 11 | Ōtsuki JCT | Chūō Expressway (Kawaguchiko Route)
|
71.4 | |||||
| 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 137
|
96.6 | |||||
| BS | Misaka Bus Stop | 98.7 | ○ | |||||
| 13-1 | Fuefuki-Yatsushiro SIC/ Yatsushiro Bus Stop |
Pref. Route 22 (Kōfu Fuefuki Route) Pref. Route 313 (Fujinuta Isawa Route) |
100.6 | ○ | ||||
| PA | Sakaigawa PA | 104.2 104.5 |
○ | Takaido-bound Komaki-bound | ||||
| 14 | Kōfu-minami IC |  National Route 358
|
106.2 | ○ | Kōfu | |||
| - | Kōfu Chūō SIC | 108.5 | open in 2019 | |||||
| BS | Shōwa Bus Stop | 112.3 | ○ | Shōwa | ||||
| 15 | Kōfu-Shōwa IC | National Route 20 (Kōfu Bypass)
|
113.8 | |||||
| 15-1 | Futaba SA/ SIC/ Futaba-higashi Bus Stop |
Pref. Route 6 (Kōfu Nirasaki Route) Pref. Route 25 (Kai Chūō Route) |
118.5 | ○ | SIC: Komaki-bound exit, Takaido-bound entrance only | Kai | ||
| 15-2 | Futaba JCT |  Chūbu-Ōdan Expressway
|
120.4 | |||||
| - | Kai IC/ JCT |
National Route 20 (Shin-Yamanashi ring road) (planned) Pref. Route 616 (Shimokamijō Miyakubo Emidō Route) |
Planned | |||||
| 16 | Nirasaki IC | Pref. Route 27 (Nirasaki Shōsenkyō Route) | 125.0 | Nirasaki | ||||
| BS | Akeno Bus Stop | 129.5 | ○ | Hokuto | ||||
| 17 | Sutama IC |  National Route 141
|
132.0 | |||||
| 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 Expressway
|
182.7 | From Okaya JCT to Komaki JCT the Chūō Expressway is signed "E19" | ||||
| BS | Kawagishi Bus Stop | 186.0 | ○ | |||||
| PA | Tatsuno PA | 192.7 | ○ | Tatsuno | ||||
| 22 | Ihoku IC |  National Route 153
|
196.7 | ○ | ||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| 23-1 | Ogurogawa PA/ SIC |
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 | |||
| 24-1 | Komagatake SA/ SIC |
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 | Iida IC/ Igara Bus Stop |
National Route 153 (Iida Bypass)
|
252.2 | ○ | ||||
| 26-1 | Iida-Yamamoto IC |  San-en Nanshin Expressway
|
257.4 | |||||
| PA | Achi PA/ Komaba Bus Stop |
259.8 | ○ | 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 | Length - 8,649 m, dangerous goods forbidden | |||||
| Nakatsugawa | Gifu | |||||||
| PA | Misaka PA/ Magome Bus Stop |
278.9 | ○ | 80 km/h | ||||
| 27 | Nakatsugawa IC |  National Route 19
|
288.9 | ○ | ||||
| SA | Enakyō SA | 294.4 | Ena | |||||
| 28 | Ena IC | Pref. Route 68 (Ena Shirakawa Route) | 298.3 | ○ | ||||
| PA | Byōbuzan PA | 310.2 311.4 |
Takaido-bound Komaki-bound |
Mizunami | ||||
| BS | Mizunami-Tentoku Bus Stop | 314.8 | ○ | |||||
| 29 | Mizunami IC | Pref. Route 47 (Mizunami Inter Route) | 316.4 | |||||
| 30 | Toki IC |  National Route 21
|
320.9 | ○ | Toki | |||
| 30-1 | Toki JCT | Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway
|
323.4 | |||||
| PA | Kokeizan PA | 327.9 | Takaido-bound only | Tajimi | ||||
| 31 | Tajimi IC |  National Route 248
|
329.7 | ○ | ||||
| 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 | ○ | |||||
| 23 | Komaki JCT | Tōmei Expressway
|
344.9 | |||||
- 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
edit| No. | Name | Connections | Dist. from Takaido IC |
Bus Stop | Notes | Location (all in Yamanashi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Ōtsuki JCT |  Chūō Expressway
|
71.4 | Ōtsuki | ||
| BS | Ogatayama Bus Stop | 73.2 | ○ | Tsuru | ||
| 1 | Tsuru IC | Pref. Route 705 (Takahatake Yamura Teishajō Route) Pref. Route 40 (Tsuru Inter Route) |
77.6 | ○ | Fujiyoshida-bound exit, Ōtsuki-bound entrance only | |
| PA | Yamura PA | 79.4 79.7 |
Ōtsuki-bound Fujiyoshida-bound | |||
| BS | Nishikatsura Bus Stop | 84.7 | ○ | Nishikatsura | ||
| BS | Shimoyoshida Bus Stop | 89.8 | ○ | Fujiyoshida | ||
| 1-1 | Fujiyoshida-Nishikatsura SIC | Pref. Route 718 (Fujiyoshida Nishikatsura Route) | 93.9 | |||
| 2 | Kawaguchiko IC | National Route 139
|
93.9 | Fujiyoshida-bound exit, Ōtsuki-bound entrance only | Fujikawaguchiko | |
| 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)
In popular culture
editThe Chūō Expressway features prominently in the song "Chūō Freeway" (中央フリーウェイ) by Yumi Matsutoya, from the 1976 studio album The 14th Moon. The song describes the scenery along the highway in the vicinity of Fuchū, Tokyo.
References
edit- ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "History of Tokyo's 3 Ring Roads". Archived from the original on 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "Road Timetable". Archived from the original on 2004-06-04. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "Road Timetable". Archived from the original on 2004-06-04. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "High Standard Trunk Road Map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-20. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ "E-NEXCO Drive Plaza Route Search". Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ "At least three dead after Japan tunnel collapse: TV". Yahoo! Sports. Reuters. 2012-12-02. Retrieved 2012-12-02.
External links
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chuo Expressway.
- Central Nippon Expressway Company Archived 2008-12-09 at the Wayback Machine