Kawasaki Route Explained

Country:	JPN
Shuto Expressway Kawasaki Route 首都高速神奈川6号川崎線
Map Custom:	yes
Map Notes:	The Kawasaki Route highlighted in red
Maint:	Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited
Length Km:	5.5
Established:	2002
Direction A:	East
Terminus A:	/ Bayshore Route
Direction B:	West
Terminus B:	Yokohane Route /

The, signed as Route K6, is one of the tolled routes of the Shuto Expressway system serving the Greater Tokyo Area and is one of seven of the routes in the system serving Kanagawa Prefecture.

Route description

The Kawasaki Route begins at the Kawasaki-Ukishima Junction as a continuation west for the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line into Kanagawa Prefecture. The division between the two expressways is the Bayshore Route, which travels along the edge of Tokyo Bay. From this eastern terminus, the Kawasaki Route travels west through Kawasaki, paralleling National Route 409. The only interchange along the Kawasaki Route aside from its termini is at Tonomachi Junction where the two parallel routes partially connect. The expressway meets its western terminus at Daishi Junction with the Yokohane Route.^[1]

The speed limit along almost the entire length of the Kawasaki Route is set at 80 km/h. The only exceptions to this is at the termini of the route where the limit is lowered to 40 km/h.^[2] The Kawasaki Route is a part of the partially-complete, an expressway planned to link the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line and National Route 15.^[3] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism plans to include the connector in an outer ring road around the Greater Tokyo Area.^[4]

History

The Kawasaki Route was first opened on 30 April 2002, with the completion of construction between the interchange at Tonomachi and Kawasaki-Ukishima Junction.^[5] On 20 October 2010, the expressway was extended west to its present terminus at Daishi Junction where it meets the Yokohane Route, though it was originally planned to be opened on 18 October. The total cost of the 2km (01miles) extension, including a 700sp=usNaNsp=us tunnel, was .^{[6] [7]}

Junction list

The entire expressway lies within Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 横羽線. ja. Metropolitan Expressway. 1 June 2021.
2. Web site: 首都高速道路速度規制図. Shuto Expressway Speed Regulation Map. ja. 1 June 2021.
3. Web site: 川崎縦貫道路. Kawasaki Connector. City of Kawasaki. ja. 21 October 2020. 1 June 2021.
4. Web site: 東京外かく環状道路（東名高速～湾岸道路間）計画検討協議会（第５回）の開催結果概要. Summary of the results about the Tokyo Outer Ring Road (Tōmei Expressway-Bayshore Route) 5th Plan Review Council. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. ja. 26 June 2019. 1 June 2021.
5. Web site: 首都高、高速川崎線の一部が開通. Shuto Expressway, a section of the Kawaski Route opens. Automotive Media Response. ja. 22 April 2002. 1 June 2021.
6. News: 高速川崎縦貫線の殿町－大師JCT、10月開通. Tonomachi to Daishi Junction on the Kawasaki Connector, to open in October. The Nikkei. ja. 19 May 2010. 1 June 2021.
7. Web site: 首都高の歴史. ja. Metropolitan Expressway. 12 March 2020.